A Peasants Heart
by Voldyismoldy
Summary: one is a prince the other is a servant will they find the love they long for before one of them is taken away forever? DmHp, evil stepmother and sisters, creepy pedophiale lord. mentions of abuse and possible mpreg. based on Ever After and cinderella
1. prologue

Disclaimer: me no own

A Peasants Heart

Voldyismoldy: ok I know I said I wouldn't do this but I love the story of Cinderella and I have always wanted to write my own version of it. This story is actually based loosely on the movie Ever After and the original Cinderella story. So enjoy and review to tell me if you want me to continue it cause I know there have been tons of these stories and if people are sick of it then I won't continue it.

Warning: this story will contain slash, cross dressing, mentions of abuse, slavery, possible rape later on though unlikely at this point and possible mpreg if I can make it fit.

List of characters:

Cinderella: Harry (duh)

Prince: Draco

Prince's mother and father: Lucius and Narcissa

Royal advisiors: Snape and Dumbledore

Lord and Lady Potter: James and Lilly

Evil stepmother: Bellatrix (big change here no Dursleys!)

Evil stepsisters: Pansy and Hermione (just cause I can't think of anyone else)

Lord Riddle: Tom Riddle (no voldemort in this but he is still evil).

Prince's friends: Blaise, Goyle, Crabbe, Ron Weasley.

Fairy Godfather: Sirius (though he won't be a fairy but will be with Remus)

Other characters will be introduced within the story as needed.

Prologue.

The kingdom of Hogwarts was a large and prosperous kingdom ruled over by five families. The main ruling family were the Malfoy's who lived within the magnificent Hogwarts castle and were the direct descendents of the great wizard Merlin. King Lucius and Queen Narcissa were fair and kind and much loved by their people. However they had one problem through the ten years of their marriage they had yet to conceive a child and longed for one with all their hearts.

The first of the four territories was granted by Merlin to the loyal and caring Helga Hufflepuff. It had been passed down from generation to generation and was now ruled by her descendents the Longbottoms, Frank and Alice. They were kind and righteous and good friends of the king and queen who were over enjoyed to learn that they were expecting their first child within only a few months despites their own lack of one.

The second was given to the clever and intelligent Rowena Ravenclaw and passed down to the Weasley family. Molly and Arthur already had several children and were currently working on their sixth. They were also good friends of the king and queen and it was well known that they had more than once offered to give their trouble making twin sons to them. They had politely refused every time and it was a well known joke in court that the Weasley's were trying to get rid of the two boys that no one would take.

The third was given to the sly and cunning Salazar Slytherin and was passed down to the Riddle family. Tom Riddle Sr. and his wife were good and fair rulers but many worried about their teenage son Tom Riddle Jr. Already there were reports coming in of his allegedly cruelty and everyone was waiting to see what kind of governor he would be when he took over after his father. It was him in particular that Lucius was keeping an eye on and he hoped nothing came of their worries.

The last one was given to the bold and courageous Godric Gryffindor and was passed down to the Potter family. James Potter had only recently taken over as lord for his late father Harold and married a beautiful young woman, Lilly Evan's. The two had been married a year and were still childless but neither was to concerned about it. They were beloved by their people and it was without doubt that James would be as good a lord as his father once was.

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For many years Lucius and Narcissa had tried desperately to have a child with no success. They had come to believe that they would never have a child and as a last resort they want to the royal advisors Severus Snape and Ablus Dumbledore. They begged the two men to help them find a way to have the child they so desperately wanted and the two men agreed to do what they could to help them.

They searched for over a month for a solution to their problem and finally found a little known potion used to increase fertility and potency in males and females. Delighted the king and queen had them brew the potion and they both took it one night before making love. Within a week it had been confirmed that the queen was finally pregnant but the potion had one painful side effect, they would never be able to have another child now.

This was fine for the king and queen were delighted just to have one after trying for so long to conceive and nine months later a beautiful little boy was born. He had white blonde hair like his father and stunning silver gray eyes. Dumbledore proclaimed that he would one day be a great king and that he was destined to do something truly important though what that was he himself couldn't be sure of.

The entire kingdom rejoiced at the birth of the young prince and many people came to see him baring gifts for the babe. Among them were the Potters who gushed over the infant and Lilly hoped that she would have one as beautiful as him one day. The little prince was loved and cherished by all and already many were discussing who he would one day marry. As the only heir he would be the kingdoms greatest catch when he grew into manhood and many were already boasting about how it would be their daughters who would wed him.

For three years the kingdom was at peace as they watched the little prince grow. He was joined by the Longbottom's young son Neville, who to would be there only heir, and the Weasley's sixth son Ron as well as eventually their only daughter Ginny. To everyone's relief they stopped having children after that and no other twins were born to them. Each territory now had an heir except for the Potters but they were now expecting their first child who would be born in a little over a month.

However there had been complications during Lilly's pregnancy and she was now very weak and bed ridden. Many believed she would not survive the birth and it was debatable if the child would as well. The Malfoy's had sent their own healer to them, Poppy Pomfrey, and she was doing all she could to help the poor woman. The royal family and all of the governing families had come to welcome the new child and support James as well as his two friends Sirius and Remus.

The day of the child's birth was cold and wet and three weeks early. James paced in the outer sitting room while the king, queen, their son, and the lords and ladies and their families sat around him watching him. Alice and Molly had joined Poppy and some of the servant girls in the delivery room where Lilly's screams filled his ears. No one could make him sit down or relax at all, not even Sirius, and eventually they gave up trying.

Two hours later Molly came out of the room a look of great sadness and sympathy on her face. James took one look at her face and rushed past her terrified of what had happened to his wife and child. Molly followed him after glancing at the others who understood that something had gone wrong with the birth and waited to find out what tragedy had occurred that day.

Upon entering the room James knew immediately what was wrong. Lilly, his beautiful young wife, lay on the bed pale as a ghost and covered in blood as were the sheets beneath her. Her eyes were closed and as he touched her hand he felt her skin growing cold beneath his fingers. Tears filled his eyes and streamed down his face as he realized that she was dead, she had not been strong enough to survive the birth as it had been suspected she wouldn't.

"I'm sorry my lord we just couldn't save her but we did manage to save him," Poppy told him. He looked at her in confusion until she placed a small bundle in his arms and some of his grief dissipated as he held the small child his wife had died for. "You have a healthy little boy my lord and he is a beautiful little one. You should be proud."

"Thank you Poppy," James said softly as he looked down at the small child. He had his messy black hair he could see at once and when he opened his eyes fresh tears came to his own. "Oh God Lilly's eyes," He gasped as he looked down at his late wife. "He is truly your son my Lilly and I will take good care of him for you I promise love."

He gazed at his wife for a few more minutes lifting her hand to his lips to kiss it and then nodded to Poppy. She would have to be cleaned up and prepared for burial right away and he couldn't watch that so he left the room with his son held tightly in his arms. The others rose to their feet as soon as he entered and knew at once what had happened as Molly and Alice followed him into the other room. The rest would be left for the servants to do and they were needed more to comfort James now then to help with Lilly.

"Lilly has given birth to a beautiful baby boy," He told them wanting nothing more than to be alone with his son and his grief. Sirius instantly moved to wrap in arm around his childhood friend who was grateful for the comfort as he continued. "Unfortunately she didn't survive the birth."

"Oh James I am so sorry," Narcissa told him tears sparkling in her own eyes. She had become very close to the young woman since she had married James and she was greatly saddened by her death. "Lilly was a wonderful woman and she will be greatly missed but at least you have your son. That is one good thing that has come from this terrible tragedy."

"Yeah James Queen Narcissa is right you have your little one there to help ease the pain and me and Remus are here too," Sirius told him. Though only a minor lord compared to James he was well liked by the king and queen and owned a great deal of land and wealth. "So tell us what's to be the little ones name or are we to call him little one from now on?"

"Lilly wanted to name him after my father as she didn't get along well with her own," James told them looking down at his son who was staring curiously up at him with his big green eyes. A small smile crossed his face as he held the child up for the others to see. "So his name is Harry James Potter, the future governor of Gryffindor and my heir."

"He is beautiful James and he has Lilly's eyes," Lady Riddle told him as the child was passed around for the others to see. He didn't cry once as he was passed around only looked at all of the unknown faces with little concern. "You must be so proud to have such a darling little one as your heir."

"Yes I am very much so," James agreed allowing Sirius to lead him over to a chair where he say and watched as the others gushed over his son. He looked at his friend tears shinning in his eyes despite the smile that still lit his face. "Sirius I want you and Remy to be his godparents if you want to of course."

"Want to? Of course we want to we'd be delighted right Remy," Sirius replied glancing at his partner who nodded right away honored by his desire to make them his sons godparents. "That little one is going to be so spoiled and we will teach him all our tricks. He'll be worse than the Weasley's twins."

"Please no my lords the Weasley twins are more than enough trouble for this kingdom we are not in need of another." Lucius told them with a look of mock horror. Sirius laughed but agreed with the king the twins were little monsters with their tricks sometimes. "I hope though that our sons will be friends one day I would like to keep our families close as it makes the kingdom stronger."

James and the others agreed and watched as the newborn child was gushed over by the others. Each of the Weasley boy's wanted to hold him except for Ron who seemed too afraid to and Ginny who was only a year old herself and being held by her oldest brother Bill. The Longbottom's held him after that and Neville had to be coaxed to even look at the small child with how shy he was. It was then the queens turn and Lucius saw her look of longing as she held the infant and wished he could have given her another baby but he couldn't.

"Mommy me hold him now please," they were all surprised as little Draco pulled eagerly on his mother's dress trying to get a better look at the baby he hadn't shown any interest in until then. "Please mommy want to hold baby."

"All right Dragon sit down on the couch and I will help you hold him all right," Narcissa agreed after getting a nod from James who looked slightly apprehensive. Draco did as he was told and held out his arms for the child as she sat down next to him. "Here you are Draco keep your arm under his head his neck is very delicate right now."

Draco nodded, he was fairly intelligent for a three year old, and held the baby carefully with his mothers help. At first he didn't see what the big deal was and thought the baby looked kind of funny with its messy black hair and red face until he saw Harry's eyes. _There so pretty,_ he thought smiling at the infant who gurgled and reached his fingers out toward him. _Your going to be mine and we will play together and you will smile only for me._

"Mommy me keep him ok," Draco told her and was confused when the adults and the older Weasley's laughed at his declaration. "He be mine and we take him back to the palace so we can play together all the time."

"We can't do that Dragon Harry doesn't belong to us," His mother told him gently as she took the child from him. Draco scrunched his face up not used to being told no and not wanting to let the baby go. "He has to stay here with his daddy. You wouldn't like it if someone took you away from us would you?" Draco thought about that for a minute and then shook his head knowing he wouldn't like that at all. "So we can't take him away from his daddy but when he gets older I am sure you two can play together and be friends."

"Yes of course little prince I will bring Harry to play with you and you are always welcome here," James assured him. Draco remained frowning as he thought it over and then nodded agreeing with them. "Thank you my prince I would have been very sad if you had taken my son away from me."

"I don't want you be alone," the little boy told him. He liked Uncle James and Aunt Lilly as he knew them but he really wanted the little baby to more than he had ever wanted anything else. "But when he grow up he be mine,"

Everyone in the room laughed at that and nodded not one of them understanding what the little boy really meant as he didn't really understand himself. He only knew he wanted that precious little infant for his own in a way he wouldn't understand for years to come. None of them realized either that his innocent words would set in motion something to come that none of them would suspect and would change their kingdom in the future.

Having satisfied Draco Narcissa gave the small child to the Riddles to see. Tom and his wife gushed over the baby and lamented that they had only been able to have one themselves. Tom Jr. was sitting away from the others frowning and looking like he would rather be anywhere else. At seventeen he was a reserved and brooding young man that easily put a feeling of unease in others. None of them expected him to want to hold the child so they were surprised when he stood up and took the baby from his father staring down at it with a scowl on his face.

The young teen gazed at the tiny infant who squirmed in his arms and a feeling of desire filled him. Unlike the innocent little prince he knew what he wanted from this child and he to was determined to get it. He decided then and there that small green eyed babe would one day be his. His to own and use as he desired and a frightening smile came over his face as his plans began to grow in his head.

James saw the look on his face and the one in his eyes and was instantly on his feet as his son began to cry. Tom Jr. gave the baby up willingly to the worried father though not without giving him a sneer and returned to his chair terrible thoughts feeling his head as he continued to stare at the babe in the man's arms. He was annoyed when James sat down and Draco rushed over to him upset about the baby crying. He was even more enraged when the infant looked at the little blonde child and instantly stopped crying to gurgle and reach his hand out toward him.

He would have to do something about this there was no way he was letting that bratty little prince have what was rightfully his. Harry belonged to him and no one else would have him. As soon as he was old enough he would take the boy and hide him away in his manor where no one else would be able to touch or see him. The Harry would be all his and the prince would have to find some other twit to be with. Yes Draco may be a prince but he didn't have the cunning or patience that Tom had and he always got what he wanted in the end.

A/N: so what do you think was it interesting? Good, bad should I continue it? Let me know. Poor Harry he's just a baby and he is already in a fight between two men what is he going to do and what will happen to him now? Just in case anyone is confused in this story Ron is older than Draco by three months and Neville is older than him by four and they are all three years older than Harry. Ginny is a year older than him to and Tom is way older so he is a total pedophile in this story. I mean really who lusts after a baby? That's just wrong!. Oh yeah what is Tom's mother's name I forgot and my books have been put away so I can't look it up so someone tell me please! Anyway read and review if you want me to continue there's lots more to come.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: me no own

Voldyismoldy: Well I guess people aren't as tired of the Cinderella story as I thought. But really how can you ever grow tired of such a beautiful story as the poor girl who looses a slipper and gains a prince, pretty good trade if you ask me. I am always amazed by how well my stories do and greatly encouraged by everyone who reviews, alerts, and favorites them so thank you all very much. Just in case any of you were wondering there will be no singing in this story and no talking mice. Sorry.

Warning: character death, child abuse, half naked boys.

Chapter 1. Their First Meeting.

Despite Draco's declaration and James's promise it would be many years before the two would ever see each other again. Years in which they would become very different young men who lived very different lives. Where one would be loved and cherished and get everything they could want or need the other would be scorned and hated and refused even the most basic needs as he grew.

The first few years of Harry's life were much the same as Draco's, he was loved and adored by his father and godfather's and the servants of the manor. It wasn't long however before James decided that Harry needed a mother and soon married a young widow, Lady Bellatrix Lestrange, who had two young daughters of her own. She hated Harry from the moment James brought her home and favored her daughters above the small boy. She was cruel to him whenever James wasn't around and Harry wouldn't say anything about it not wanting to upset his father.

However tragedy soon struck the young child's life again as a few weeks after James left to go on a tour of his lands he was thrown from his horse and killed instantly. The horse, it was discovered minutes later, had been spooked by a large snake that had never been seen before. Some of the guards with him tried to go after it and kill it but it got away before they could and several weeks of searching would prove fruitless as the snake was never seen again.

When news of James's death reached the manor Harry was devastated and when he tried to get comfort from his stepmother he was roughly shoved away. This then was the beginning of his new life as soon after the lords funeral Harry was forced to become a servant in his own home. The servants could do nothing to help the small boy as many of them were fired or threatened if they interfered and Sirius and Remus his beloved godfathers were away on a diplomatic mission for the king and as such knew nothing of what was happening to their godson.

Harry was six years old at the time and too young to do anything on his behalf as everything was taken from him. When questioned about the boy Bellatrix claimed he had grown ill as he had always been a sickly child and by the time Srius and Remus returned he was already claimed to have died and been buried. Therefore all of the Potter wealth, lands and title went to Bellatrix and her two daughters leaving Harry with nothing.

The only one's who knew the poor boy was still alive were the servants, Bellatrix and her daughters and Tom Riddle Jr. Surprisingly or perhaps not so surprisingly she and Riddle were good friends so he knew all about what she had done. There was however one person who refused to believe that Harry had died and that was the young prince Draco who knew for a reason he couldn't explain and therefore no one would believe that the little boy who was to be his still lived.

He was so forceful in his belief and insistence that Lucius eventually agreed to take his son on a trip there just so he could see the grave where his friend lay. However that trip would never happen as not long after the boy's supposed death news arrived at Hogwarts castle of the assassination of Lord Riddle and his wife Merope Riddle. Tom Riddle Jr., now Lord Riddle, blamed his parents death on one of the other lands and before anyone really knew what had happened the kingdom was embroiled in a civil war.

The war itself didn't last long but its effects were felt for years to come as the kingdom struggled to rebuild itself. Ironically the assassins were eventually found and claimed to be from another kingdom though this was never firmly determined and they were quickly executed. However by that time little Harry had been all but forgotten by all, even Draco, and so there was no one to protect him from the suffering he would endure in his young life.

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Harry dragged himself from the spot on the floor beside the fireplace, where all the soot and ashes from the fire were swept to before the sun had risen, just as he did every morning. He tried to brush some of the filth off him but it was really a lost cause and started on the morning meals for the ladies of the house. This was only the first of the many chores he had to do every day and had done since he was six.

He was sixteen now but looked like someone much younger and was severally malnourished. His body was covered in bruises and scars old and new and his clothes were mere rags that he had to keep sewing together. He barely reached the height of 5'5 and had a very slender frame made even worse by his stepmothers refusal to feed him adequately. His black hair was now long enough to reach his shoulders and shadowed his now dull green eyes that were rimmed with dark circles from the little sleep he got.

His stomach growled as he finished the meals, knowing it would get none of the food as Harry was still being punished for dropping a plate after he was pushed by one of the lady's daughters, and brought them out to the dinning room. None of the ladies were there yet of course and he put the plates on the table and then left the room knowing he was not to be seen there. None of them liked to see him while they were eating and he had learned well to hide from their sight as much as possible.

The meals done he moved on to his next chore scrubbing the floor and windows of the manor. No easy task considering how big the manor was and it would take hours for him to finish. He worked diligently through the morning his hands and back aching and his stomach twisting into knots of hunger. It didn't help that Bellatrix and her daughters did everything they could to make things harder for him too. Adding scuffs and dirt to the floor, by accident of course, and constantly stopping him to do other tasks most of which they could easily have done themselves if they dared to lift a finger at all.

Harry did everything without complaint as he knew better by now not to say anything no matter what they did or said to him. Numerous beatings and whippings over the years had taught him that. So now he rarely spoke unless asked a direct question and never lifted his eyes to look at them, he had been taught that too. To never look at anyone who was above him and as Bellatrix had told him over and over again that was everyone. No one was lower them him for he was a worthless, ungrateful freak who had brought tragedy and death to his family and her.

Bellatrix blamed him for his mother and father's death's and for her own suffering at losing James so quickly. Harry knew this and believed it himself having heard it so many times without anyone going against her. He believed that he was worthless and ugly and stupid and that he would never be loved. No one could ever love him for it would only cause them pain and sorrow as it had his parents and his stepmother. So he had long ago given up hope of ever being cared for and resigned himself to his life as a slave for his stepmother and sisters.

"Boy where are you?" A voice boomed. He groaned as he heard it and the footsteps thundering down the hall as he stood. "There you are you lazy halfwit didn't I tell you to fix the tear in my dress yesterday?"

"Yes my lady and I did so," Harry replied softly not even having to look up to know it was Pansy looming over him with a dress clutched in her hands. "I stayed up late last night to fix the tear in it."

"Well you obviously didn't do a very good job because its torn again," The girl snapped throwing the dress at him that he only barely managed to catch as he dropped the rag he was using. "Fix it again and do it right this time or I will see you get the beating you deserve."

Harry nodded and took the dress down to the kitchen to fix it yet again. It didn't take him long to find the tear and was pleased to see it was a new one and that the one he had sown up last night was still holding well. She had probably tried it on again this morning and torn it again. He wouldn't put it past her to do it on purpose too just to get him in trouble but as there was nothing he could do about it he merely fixed it and brought it back up to the girl. Pansy reluctantly admitted he had done well and he escaped at least one beating for the day.

Out of Bellatrix's daughter's Pansy was probably the worse of the two. She had black hair and brown eyes and a pug like face. She was decidedly heavy and a few inches taller than him. She was as cruel and conniving as her mother but lacked any true intelligence and was absolutely obsessed with the young Prince Draco. She boasted constantly about how she would be the one to one day marry him and Harry pitied the man if that were to ever happen though for all he knew the prince could be as bad as her and they could deserve each other.

Her sister Hermione was little better than her though much thinner and slightly shorter than the other girl though still taller than him. She had bushy brown hair and eyes and bucked teeth. She wasn't as cruel as her mother and sister though could be just as conniving and had the intelligence that Pansy lacked. She to was obsessed with the prince though not to the same extent as her sister and liked to mock Harry for his own lack of education as his father had died before he had a chance to begin his lessons.

Once finished with the dress he returned to his scrubbing and just barely finished by noon when Bellatrix came looking for him. Like her daughter Hermione she had bushy brown hair and dark, almost black, eyes. She was cruel to Harry in any way she could be and to some he supposed she would be good looking. To this day though he didn't know how his father had fallen in love with the woman and chosen to marry her.

"Boy here you've earned this I suppose," The woman told him holding out a piece of old and slightly molding bread to him. Harry took it without hesitation glad for any kind of food after three days of nothing and began to nibble on it. "Now since your done with the floor and windows you are to go down to the river and bathe. We are having a very important guest here this afternoon so you must look at least some what decent and see that you don't tarry. I will not be kept waiting for you."

"Yes my lady," Harry agreed with a slight incline of his head. He left the hall quickly clutching the bread in his hand almost as if he was afraid someone would take it away from him which someone just might. It had happened before after all.

Of course he knew right away who was coming to visit there was only one person his stepmother ever made him bathe for and that was Lord Riddle. He hated the man even more than he did his stepfamily and the way he constantly watched him whenever he was there. He didn't know what kind of interest he had in him but he didn't like it and his eyes always left him feeling naked and exposed and dirty.

He knew the man wanted him for reasons he didn't understand and one of his greatest fears was that Bellatrix would eventually give him to him. This fear was the source of many of his nightmares and sleepless nights and yet whenever they got really bad it would change suddenly to one of silver gray. He didn't understand what the dream meant but it always left him feeling safe and warm and cared for. Even now it brought a small feeling of warmth to his chest as he hurried away from the manor munching on the bread he had been given.

The river was a far distance from the manor as it was on the edge of the Potter lands and the lands of Lord Diggory. Harry liked the Diggory family from what he had seen of them during their visits to the manor they were kind, caring people with only one son and he was very good looking. The only thing he didn't like about them was that Lord Diggory liked to brag about everything especially his son and it was sometimes annoying.

He reached the river after a half hour of walking and was surprised to find that there were others there already. Usually at this time there was no one else at the river which Harry liked since the town's boys liked to pick on him and make it harder for him to bathe. Today though there appeared to be four boys only one of which he recognized and none of them were from the town.

He recognized the young Lord Cedric Diggory at once but the others were unfamiliar to him and made him uneasy. He knew Cedric would leave him alone as he had sometimes stopped the other boys from harassing him when he would come but he didn't know about the others. The first was a tall boy with black hair and a somewhat pointed nose and the second was a boy with red hair and freckles who was even taller than the first.

It was the last boy that caught his attention though and he almost couldn't stop himself from staring. This one had white blonde hair and pale shin and was tall and lean. He held himself in a way that showed he was superior to the others and yet didn't act like he was as they splashed each other their laughter ringing through the air. They each only wore a pair of soaked undergarments that were hanging low on their hips and Harry felt his face flush.

He had known for a while that he was interested in men and thought it was perhaps because of how cruel his stepmother and sisters were to him. Besides its not like any girl or guy would ever want him so it didn't really matter what his preference was. Right now though he was feeling very comfortable and he didn't need those boys to know what he was thinking about, they would probably beat him or try to drown him if they did.

He tried to move as quietly as he could to a place further down the river so as not to be noticed by him but that was not to be as he was suddenly hit in the face by some water. The force of the hit and the surprise of it was enough to knock him over and he fell with a thud as he spluttered. He wiped the water from his face and was even more surprised when he saw a hand reached out toward him

"Sorry about that my friends and I didn't see you there," A deep aristocratic voice told him. Harry chanced a brief glance up and saw that it was the blonde boy who had come to help him. "Here let me help you up. Did you come for a swim?"

"Thank you," Harry said softly his voice barely audible as he placed his small hand in the other boy's much larger one. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to get in the way."

The boy pulled him up with more force than he had expected and he nearly went stumbling into him. His face flushed further as the other boy caught him and steadied him before he could. A deep chuckled rose from him and if Harry wasn't already embarrassed he certainly was now and he feared the heat would never leave his face.

"You weren't in the way we just weren't paying attention you know," he told him kindly. Harry said nothing as he kept his eyes low sure it was his own fault and not their's, everything was his fault after all. "And you're welcome to join us if you like."

"I . . . I no I can't I . . . I need to get back," Harry replied remembering suddenly his stepmothers words and the soon to be arrival of Lord Riddle. "I'm sorry sir."

"It's all right I understand I am sorry to keep you," The boy said understandingly as he released the smaller boy even though Harry wanted nothing more than to stay in his comforting hold. "It was nice to meet you perhaps we will see each other again."

Harry looked at him in surprise that he would want to see him again and saw his eyes for the first time. _Silver gray_, he thought. _The same color as my dreams_. Then he realized what he was thinking and blushed again lowering his eyes as he nodded and hurried away from the boy. Out of the corner of his eye he could see him go to rejoin his friends as he went to another part of the river to wash himself as quickly as possible.

Once he was done bathing himself and feeling cleaner than he had in weeks, which really wasn't much since it took more than a quick dunk to rid himself of all the dirt and grime on him, he rushed back to the manor. He was in such a hurry that he never noticed the blonde boy watching him as he left a look of sympathy, confusion and curiosity on his face.

Draco didn't know what had attracted him to the small boy but for some reason he had felt the need to help him after he saw him fall. He seemed so very fragile and afraid that he couldn't help but try to keep him from getting hurt and invite him to join him and his friends. He had been disappointed when the boy refused but had understood that the boy was probably someone's servant and needed to return to his work. It only reminded him that not everyone was like him and his friends and able to enjoy themselves whenever they wanted too.

However it was only after the boy had run off that he realized that he hadn't learned his name. Of course he hadn't given his own either but that was only because he wasn't used to needing to introduce himself since everyone usually knew who he was already. The boy obviously hadn't though and he found that interesting and somewhat refreshing. He wanted to know more about the boy but knew it was highly likely they would never see each other again. He only wished he had thought to ask his name

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By the time Harry got back to the manor Lord Riddle was already there and he was rushed into the room where he was sitting with Lady Bellatrix and her daughters. Riddle wasn't a bad looking man with his long black hair and green eyes somewhat like Harry;s own. He was tall and lean too and he was sure many women found him attractive. But there was a cruel glint to his eyes and a perpetual smirk on his face.

His eyes never left Harry as he sat down in a chair near him his hands twisting in his lap and his head bowed. He didn't want to look at the man who made him feel so uncomfortable and tainted. He heard rustling soon after he sat and the sound of footsteps nearing him. He knew it was Riddle and wasn't surprised when he felt a hand cup his chin and force his head up rather roughly until he was looking into the face of the man he hated more than any other. "

"Ah Harry you get more beautiful every time I see you," Tom told him with a mirthless chuckle. Harry resisted the urge to pull his face away from him knowing he would only be hurt if he did. "And what a delicate creature you are my dear but I see your stepmother and sisters have not been treating you very well such a shame for one so fragile to be forced to do such hard labor."

Harry frowned but said nothing knowing the man knew very well how he was treated by his family and that he really didn't care about it at all. It had been the same thing since he had turned twelve and he had long ago grown tired of it. In some ways he wished the man would just take what he wanted from him and get it over with while in others he was afraid to know what that was.

"You know Harry I could make your life so much better if you will just agree to come with me to my manor," He told the boy moving his hand from his chin to his cheek as he brought his face close to his breathing in the youths scent. "Wouldn't you like that my dear."

Harry didn't answer him verbally but instead spat in the man's face in what was his only act of defiance in a life of obedience and submission. He knew he would pay for it later he could see it by the look on his stepmother's face but he didn't care. He would never go anywhere with Riddle he hated the man and feared him and wanted nothing to do with him. He wished he would just leave him alone and stop asking him that.

Riddle however seemed unperturbed by what he had done and merely took his hand away with a smile that was anything but pleasant. To Harry it seemed almost predatory as he took out a handkerchief and wiped the spit from his face. He put the clothe away when he was finished and looked down at him with a look that said he had far passed his patience and was no longer going to play nice. Harry felt his face pale as he lowered his eyes again fearing what the man would do now.

"Well it seems that I will not be able to change your mind and convince you to take my offer," Riddle said sounding almost like he was talking more to himself than to Harry and coming to some sort of decision. "As such I will no longer ask you to accept my offer and will instead take the one your stepmother has offered me."

Tom could see the boy instantly tense at his words so much so that his body started trembling with it though he didn't look up at him again. He delighted in the youth's reaction and it only made him want the boy more. He had waited a long time to make this boy his own, far to long, and it was now more than time that he took what he had wanted since the day the child was born.

"Bella have the boy ready for me when I come for my next visit," He told the woman turning away from Harry and grinning when he heard the sharp intake of breath come from him. "I would take him with me now but I have business to attend to with some of the other lords and then the king has insisted that I come to his brat's birthday celebration next month so I won't be returning here or to Slytherin lands until after that and I can't take the boy with me on my travels so I must leave him for a little longer in your care."

"Of course my Lord we will be waiting eagerly for your next visit," Bellatrix told him throwing a quick glare at the boy before smiling sweetly at the man she deeply admired. He had after all helped her get the wealth and standing she had now. "And we will see you at the prince's party as we have been invited to attend it as well."

"Wonderful I look forward to seeing you and your daughters there Bella," Riddle said pleased. He snapped his fingers and one of his servants stepped forward with his cloak that he pulled on. "Now I unfortunately must be going for I have many other places to go but I wish you well and shall see you all soon."

"Goodbye my lord I hope all your business goes well," the woman replied standing to see him off. She was followed by her two daughters who curtsied their goodbyes and Riddle gave a slight bow in return.

Harry watched them leave the room to see the lord off and took several deep breaths once they were out of sight fighting back tears. How could his stepmother agree to let the man take him like that. This was his home, the only home he had ever known, and all he had left of his parents and she was forcing him to leave it. To go live somewhere he had never been with a man he hated and feared.

He knew the woman had always hated him but he didn't think she had hated him this much, that he meant that little to her. It hurt more than he had thought it would and he couldn't keep sitting there. He had to go somewhere do something to distract himself or he knew he would start sobbing at any moment. He left the room without a sound and went down into the kitchen to start on dinner. Cooking had always kept him calm and he needed that right now.

His thoughts ran over what had happened from the moment he had entered the room to his stepmothers agreement and he felt tears drip from his eyes and onto the table. Stubbornly he pushed those thoughts away not wanting to think about them and they turned instead to the boy he had met that day. The boy with blonde hair and beautiful silver gray eyes.

He remembered the feel of his hand around his and the sound of his chuckling and his voice so deep and soothing. He was the first person to touch him without wanting to hurt him and the first one to speak with such kindness to him. He hadn't thought it was possible that anyone could ever show such concern since his father had died and his godfathers had gone away.

He wanted to hear his voice again and feel his hand around his, his arms holding him close and steadying him so he wouldn't fall. He had felt safe with him and strangely enough wanted and yet he knew it was to good to be true. He would never see the boy again, the boy who's name he didn't even know, and would be forced to go with Riddle when he returned for him. Maybe if he was lucky Riddle would never return though he knew that wouldn't happen and he resigned himself to his fate. After all he had long ago lost hope of ever being loved and one meeting with an unknown boy wasn't going to change that now.

A/N: Well there it is the first chapter of a peasants heart hoped you liked it. It was a little longer than I intended it to be but I was using this chapter to basically set up the rest of the story. I hope the scene between Harry and Draco didn't go to fast and what do you think of Bellatrix and Riddle? Jerks aren't they and if you have seen Ever After you will know that Riddle is that creepy lord that wanted Danielle so much in the movie. I didn't like him at all. So now you can kind of see what's going to happen and you have to wonder if Draco will figure out who Harry is before Riddle takes him away for good. Obviously I couldn't have him take him now or there would be no story right? There was one thing I didn't like about the Cinderella story or that I didn't understand and that was how a wealthy man's daughter could become a servant after his death without anyone noticing or saying anything about it so in order for it to make sense to myself I have everyone in my story believing that Harry is dead. Won't they be surprised when they find out he's not. Anyway this note is getting way to long so please read and review and feel free to tell me any questions, concerns or suggestions that you have I am always happy to hear them.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: me no own

Voldyismoldy: thank you to those who reviewed, alerted and favorited this story I love you all and I am glad you like it. In this chapter the cross dressing will begin, please keep in mind that I said this story is loosely based on ever after and as you know if you have seen the movie the two characters meet and fall in love before the ball so I hope you like this chapter and that what I am about to do makes sense. Without further ado the next chapter in my Cinderella tale enjoy.

Warnings: idiotic stepsisters and cross dressing.

Chapter 2. We Meet Again.

Just as Harry knew would happen he was beaten and wiped for spiting on Lord Riddle and made to go without food yet again. His stepmother didn't stop until he was unconscious and covered in blood. He remained unconscious until well into the next day while one of the other servants, a girl named Lavender, tended his wounds as she had done many times before. She hated the way Harry was treated and yet could do nothing about it except care for him as best she could.

Harry was immediately put to work again as soon as he was awake and struggled to complete his chores while he gritted his teeth against the pain of his body. He wished he could leave this place but this was his home, the home that had once belonged to his family and was his by right though he would never get to have it. He couldn't abandon this place, the only thing he had left of his parents, and feared to run away. He had no education and no way to get work or food and he would surely die if he tried to leave and make it on his own.

So he stayed and endured the pain and abuse, the starvation, and wondered how long he would manage to live. If he would survive long enough for Riddle to claim him and take him to a place that for all he knew could be far worse than what he had here. He almost prayed he would die before than or soon after, death would be a blessing in his mind. The only thing that kept him going now was the memory of that boy's eyes and his longing to see him again.

He knew that he probably never would see the boy again but he couldn't get him out of his head or stop him from filling his dreams at night. The boy made him feel so safe and cared for, feelings he couldn't ever remember feeling since he was a small child with his daddy and godfathers. He wished he could see him again just once and find out what his name was at least but he knew he would forever remain in untouchable dream after all what would a lords son, as he was sure he was, ever want with him.

So he forced himself to push those thoughts and dreams away as he did his chores and fell more and more into despair. He spent most of his time in his thoughts his eyes glazed and deep sighs slipping from his lips as he worked. He was so deep in thought that he didn't even notice when Pansy came bursting into the room he was cleaning with her sister and rushed over to where Bellatrix was sitting watching him wash the windows.

"Mother you will never believe what I just found out," the girl squealed with delight not even noticing the boy cleaning over to the side with a dazed expression on his face. "Prince Draco is visiting with Lord Diggory's son Cedric! Mother we simply most go to see him so that he can fall in love with me."

"Oh yes mother we must," Hermione agreed. Unlike her sister she had noticed the boy but said nothing about it as she cared little enough about him. "You will take us there won't you?"

"Oh my lovelies you know I would but I have business I must attend to in town today besides it would be rude to go there uninvited," Bellatrix told them. Both of them looked disappointed at her words and were surprised when she smiled after a few minutes a sly look on her face. "Unless you had a reason to other than seeing the prince like perhaps introducing a cousin who has come to stay with us for awhile. It would certainly be our duty to take them to the neighboring lords to meet them wouldn't it?"

"Yes it would mother," Pansy agreed a smile returning to her face for a moment before confusion took over it as she frowned again. "But what cousin are you talking about it? I don't remember you saying we were having one of our cousins visit us are they here yet?"

"Pansy dear be quiet won't you," Her mother replied in annoyance. Pansy stopped speaking and the woman looked over at the boy who wasn't paying them any attention at all that look still on her face. "Boy come here," Harry looked up in surprise coming out of his thoughts and walked warily over to her unsure what she wanted. "Here my lovelies is your cousin."

"The servant boy mother?" Hermione said in surprise looking over Harry with a sneer who looked at the three women in confusion and apprehension not having heard their conversation as he wasn't paying attention. "What are we to do with him?"

"Find one of your older dresses, dress him up in it, and present him as your cousin," their mother explained. Both girls looked stunned at that and then looked at the boy their eyes brightening with sudden ideas that made his face pale as he gulped in fear. "So long as the boy doesn't speak much and does as you say no one will know he is really a boy and some servant. Besides you only need him as in excuse to be invited in once there you can ignore him all you want."

"Very well mother I suppose he will have to do," Pansy agreed finally understanding what her mother intended for them to do. She grabbed Harry by the arm and started to pull him out of the room before he could saying anything about it himself. "Come you will have to bathe first and then we will dress you and we don't have a lot of time to wait for you so you will have to hurry."

Hermione followed her sister as she dragged the boy up to the bathing room after yelling for Lavender to bring up some water. They reached the bathing room and before Harry could protest dropped him unceremoniously into the tub after stripping off his clothes, much to his embarrassment, as Lavender brought in two buckets of warm water that she poured over him. Carefully she washed the boy while Pansy watched her and Hermione went into her room to get the things they would need to make him look presentable as their cousin.

Harry wanted very much to get away from them and hide somewhere until they forgot all about this ridiculous idea of there's when he saw her come back with female undergarments and a dress as well as make up and other things he couldn't name. He didn't want to be dressed up like a girl and dragged to some lords manor all so they could see some stupid prince but he had no say in the matter. So he only fumed silently as the woman washed his hair and he tried to cover his very much male parts beneath the water from the three woman. He had never been so embarrassed in his life as he was then and he could feel his face flush with heat from it.

When Lavender finished she pulled him out of the tub and dried him off with a towel. Harry stood awkwardly as he let her dry him off wanting nothing more than to pull on his old rags so that he could at least have some covering and feeling cleaner than he had in years. It was weird and a bit disconcerting to feel that clean after having spent so long covered in dirt and soot. He almost felt naked without it and it didn't help that he actually was naked as he felt his face flush further with it.

Once he was dry they forced him into a pair of woman's panties and to his horror a corset that they tied tightly around his waist making his already slender waist even more so. It was far to tight and he felt like he couldn't breathe as he grunted feeling sorry for any woman who had to wear one. The dress came after, a beautiful satin one of emerald green color, that he had seen Hermione wear numerous times and had been sown up by him more than once. Of course they wouldn't give him anything better to wear than that and it was still far better than anything he had worn in years.

The cloth of the dress felt soft and warm against his skin and without the corset it wouldn't have been so bad to wear. That was until they pulled on a pair of panty hose and forced his feet into a pair of heels that squished his toes. He grimaced as he was forced down onto a stool and Lavender began pulling at his hair with a brush. He couldn't see what she was doing but he hoped it wouldn't be anything to frilly as he was attacked by his stepsisters with make up.

They covered his face in powder, pinked his cheeks with blush, added a light green color to his eyes with eye shadow and darkened his eyelashes with mascara. The last thing they added was lipstick to his lips making them look redder before moving on to jewelry. A silver necklace was draped around his neck with a small ruby flower and two bracelets were wrapped around his wrists and earrings were clipped on to his ears. By the time they were finished Lavender was done with his hair and he was given a mirror to look at as his sisters scrutinized him.

He gasped in amazement at the person looking back at him in the glass and if he hadn't known himself he would have thought it was a woman looking back at him. His skin looked soft and delicate with a faint blush and his eyes sparkled. The dress fit his body well and had enough clothe to hide the fact that he was missing an essential female part. Most of his hair had been pulled back into a half bun the ends falling down to rest gently against the back of his neck and two small strands had been left to frame his face. He had never thought of himself as good looking but seeing the person in the mirror he could almost see himself as beautiful, almost.

"Well I suppose that is the best we could do with such a homely person to work with but it will have to do," Pansy said with a sneer as she looked him over and Hermione nodded in agreement. "Lets go then and remember to do as we say and not to speak unless spoken to. Keep your voice low when you do and try to sound female and don't you dare do anything to embarrass us or I swear you will regret it."

Harry nodded and exchanging a nervous glance with Lavender he followed the two girls downstairs to where a carriage was waiting for them already. A second carriage was there as well for Bellatrix to use and she looked over Harry with distaste though inwardly she was enraged that he actually appeared more beautiful than her daughters with his pettie frame and delicate features. She told him the same thing as Pansy had though added to her description of his punishment should he embarrass them and her in anyway before ushering them into the carriage.

Harry felt very uncomfortable as he sat across from his stepsisters in the carriage his hands fiddling in his lap. He hadn't been allowed to sit inside a carriage since he was a small child and he felt like he didn't belong there at all. He longed for this to be over and to be back in his rags doing his chores. He would never be able to pass for a lady no matter what he looked like and he was sure to get a beating for his inevitable failure.

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Draco sat out in the courtyard of Diggory manor with Cedric and his friends Blaise and Ron. They had been joined as well by Cedric's cousin Lady Penelope Clearwater, who if the stories were true was quite fond of Ron's elder brother Percy, and two other ladies, Luna Lovegood and Ron's younger sister Ginerva. The seven of them were discussing Draco's upcoming birthday ball and the numerous ladies who were hoping to catch his eye during it.

Draco was nineteen after all almost twenty and it was high time according to his father that he should wed and produce in heir of his own. Of course his parents would never force him to marry anyone he didn't want to but they were hoping he would find some one at the celebration. Draco however had no interest in anyone and only longed for someone he could never have, someone with the most beautiful green eyes that he could barely remember.

He had been so young the one time he had seen Harry Potter and looked into his eyes knowing he was the one he wanted. He hadn't understood at the time, being only a small child, why he had wanted Harry so much but now he did and mourned the loss of the only person he had ever desired. He had never showed in interest in anyone else and his parents feared he never would again but instead spend his life pinning over a long dead child no one had gotten the chance to know.

If only they knew about what had happened a few days ago they would have rejoiced at the news that Draco was thinking of anyone else at all even if that someone was a no name servant. But he couldn't get that boy he had met a few days ago at the river out of his mind. He occupied the majority of his thoughts during the day and filled his dreams at night. This small boy with long black hair and frightened and uncertain eyes that he had seen far to briefly to even determine their color.

He wanted to see him again and learn his name, feel him in his arms again. It had felt so right when he had held him keeping him from falling except for the scars he had felt beneath the clothes. He was sure the boy wasn't being treated right by whoever he lived with and that thought upset him. If only he knew who he was he would try to help him but he could do nothing now and he doubted he would ever see him again as he sighed softly.

"Oh come on Dray it won't be that bad," Ron's voice broke through his thoughts obviously believing he was sighing over his eventual marriage to someone. "We'll find you a pretty girl to settle down with or maybe one of the bearers if you're after a man. Any one of them would be thrilled to marry you and bare your heir you know."

Draco smirked but nodded allowing him and the others to think what they wanted about his thoughts. He was sure there were many women who wanted him and bearers too but none would have the beautiful eyes of Harry. That was what he wanted someone with the same bright green eyes as the infant he had held only once. He was sure that had Harry lived he would have been one of the bearers, men who were able to have children, and he would have taken him as his husband but that was a dream that wasn't meant to be.

"Forgive me sirs but Ladies Pansy and Hermione Lestrange have just arrived at the gates along with their cousin and have asked to see you Lord Cedric," A scraggly man named Filch told them with a small bow. Draco scowled in annoyance, he couldn't stand Pansy and Hermione wasn't much better, he could only hope this cousin wasn't as bad as them. "Should I have them brought here or do you wish them sent away."

"No let them come and have more chairs brought out for them," Cedric said after glancing at Draco who gave him a small nod. Filch left and returned a few minutes later with three young woman following him as another servant brought out three more chairs for them. "Lady Pansy and Hermione it is a delight to see you as always."

"Lord Cedric you are to kind," Hermione told him as he stood to take their hands and kiss them before leading them over to the rest of the group dismissing the man. "Please forgive for coming without sending word but our dear cousin, Lilith, came to visit us just yesterday and we thought it only right to introduce her to some of our friends. I do hope we haven't interrupted anything."

"Not at all ladies it is always a joy to have you here and wonderful to meet your cousin," the older boy told them with a charming smile. The other's rose from their seats as well to great the girls. "You of course know my cousin lady Penelope and the ladies Luna and Ginerva as well as the Lords Ron and Blaise and his royal highness Prince Draco."

"Oh your highness we had no idea you were here please forgive us for intruding," Pansy exclaimed blushing and batting her eyelashes at the boy. Draco may have believed her if he hadn't heard a soft snort come from behind her. She turned and glared at the person before looking back at him with what he was sure she thought was a charming smile. "Please allow us to introduce our cousin Lady Lilith to your highness."

Draco opened his mouth to say something but the words never came as the third woman stepped forward taking his breath away. She was a delicate, pettie young woman, with beautiful long black hair done up in a half bun with two strands framing her face. Her skin was pale though there was color in her cheeks and she was much shorter than him. It was her eyes though that captured his attention, they were a beautiful emerald green, and there seemed to be a nervousness and sadness to them though she smiled softly at them as she bowed awkwardly almost like she wasn't used to the dress and shoes she wore.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Lady Lilith," Draco said taking her hand and pressing it to his lips without taking his eyes off her. The girl blushed to his delight and looked uncertain of what to do for a moment until Hermione nudged her frowning.

"Oh thank you your highness its ah an honor to meet you too," She replied somewhat awkwardly as her face flushed further making him chuckle. Her voice was just as beautiful as her looks, soft and sweet.

"Please come sit with us we'd love to know more about your cousin," Cedric told them seeing the way that Draco was obviously infatuated with the new girl. He exchanged a glance with the other boys who grinned as they watched their prince and chuckled.

The girls instantly agreed and Hermione took Lilith away from the prince and dragged her to a chair next to Cedric while she and her sister took the chairs next to him. Though disappointed Draco said nothing as they returned to their seats his eyes never leaving the girl who sat silently in her chair her hands fidgeting in her lap. He was sure she must be uncomfortable with all of these people she didn't know and him being the prince and he wanted to help her feel more at ease but couldn't with how far she was from him.

They talked for a while mostly about Lilith who they were told by Hermione was distantly related to them on their late fathers side and from a neighboring kingdom that her family had moved to when she was young. She was there for a short visit and they thought it only right to introduce her to the other lords and ladies that they knew. It was strange to him though that the girl herself never spoke unless asked a direct question and then her voice was always low and shy. She must have lived a very sheltered life he decided and not be used to being with such a large group of people.

Eventually the conversation turned back to Draco's party and the boys and girls decided to separate as the men had talked about that more than enough. As Draco was moving to follow Cedric and others inside however he saw Lilith slip away from the ladies and decided to follow her instead hoping she was all right. She walked down the steps of the courtyard into the gardens and began to wander through the bushes and flowers before stopping at a rose bush with beautiful blood red roses on it. She leaned forward to touch one and pricked her finger on one of the thorns gasping as she brought it to her mouth,

"You need to be more careful my lady," He said making his presence known to her. She turned in surprise and her face colored as she saw him behind her. "I would hate for you to be seriously harmed all for the sake of a flower."

"Thank you my lord that is very kind of you but I am fine," She told him with a small bow. Her eyes widened in shock when he took her hand in his checking her wound. It had already stopped bleeding to his relief and he was surprised when he saw calluses on her hands. "The roses are just so pretty I couldn't resist."

"Yes they are but their beauty pales in comparison to your's Lilith," Draco told her surprised at his own words and yet knowing they were true. He had never felt this way around any woman before and he found he wanted to know everything about her. "Tell me do you spend a lot of time out doors your hands would suggest that you do."

"Oh yes my lord I do. I like being outside," Lilith replied suddenly uncomfortable as she took her hand away from him holding it in her own. He was surprised by this but said nothing about it. "And please call me Lilly I don't really like Lilith."

"Lilly, yes that is much better than Lilith," he agreed with a gentle smile. She blushed again and they began walking further into the gardens. "Tell me how are you enjoying your visit? I couldn't help but notice that your cousins weren't being terribly nice to you."

"Its ah been fine really. My cousins just don't care for me much," The woman said lowering her head to cover her eyes with her hair. He could sense the tension and sadness in her and was upset that he had caused it. "They find me an annoyance really but who wouldn't think that of a younger cousin their forced to take around with them. My visit won't be for very long though so it's all right."

"Well I hope your visit won't be to short and I don't find you an annoyance," The man told her. She looked up at him and smiled her green eyes shining with tears he thought she longed to shed. "In fact I am very much enjoying spending time with you and I would like to learn more about you."

"There isn't much to know your highness and I am sure that there are far more interesting and beautiful women for you to spend your time with than me," Lilly said softly turning her eyes away from him again so that she didn't see how startled he was by her words. "I am really no one of importance and you shouldn't waste your time with me sir."

"Let me be the judge of what is and isn't a waste of my time Lilly," Draco replied not understanding how someone so beautiful could have such little confidence in themselves. She nodded silently without looking at him and he noticed her start to nibble a little on her lower lip so decided to change the subject. "So tell me which one of these flowers are your favorite?"

Lilly was silent for a while as they walked through the gardens and she looked at all of the different flowers. He could tell that this was a hard decision for her as she seemed to take in delight in all of them and he found it amusing to watch her try to pick one. Eventually however she did stopping before a patch of white blue flowers that looked almost like they had been touched by ice or snow at their edges. He had to admit they were lovely and from what he new extremely rare as well, only the most wealthy of the kingdom had them in their gardens.

"These are my favorites your highness they are so beautiful," She told him looking like she wanted to reach down and pick one but not daring to instead she only gazed at them in longing. "They're winter Lilly's yes?"

"Yes they are and they are one of my favorites to," Draco agreed. Without a word he bent down and plucked one knowing Cedric and his family wouldn't mind, who would ever deny their prince anything, and held it out to her. "Here one for you my lady I am sure the Diggory's won't miss it."

"I . . . thank you your highness," The girl said softly taking the flower hesitantly from him and small smile on her face.

She looked up at him then with such gratitude and happiness in her eyes that he found himself entranced by it. He wanted her to always look at him like that except that he hoped to add love to the two emotions he already saw. He felt a small smile move his lips as well and without really thing about it he ran his hand through her hair brushing a few lose strands out of her face. She blushed but didn't move away and encouraged by this he lowered his face toward hers, their lips nearly touching.

"Your highness, your highness," A voice shouted at just that moment interrupting their moment. Lilly's eyes widened in realization of what had almost happened and she nearly jumped away from him as a servant neared them anxiously. "Forgive me for interrupting my lord but Lord Cedric and the others are looking for you and the lady. Should I tell them you're here or will you be rejoining them."

"No tell them we will join them in a moment we were just taking a stroll," Draco told the boy in obvious annoyance and frustration. He didn't notice the dark look that came over the girls face as the servant bowed and hurried away again to inform his lord of what he had said. "Forgive me my lady but servants do seem to have a knack for arriving at the worst times possible. I can barely stand their incompetence sometimes but they are useful at times wouldn't you agree."

"I am afraid I don't my lord," Lilly replied icily. He was surprised by the cold tone of her voice as he turned to look at her again and saw her dark look for the first time. "You shouldn't blame him for doing as his lord instructed him too. It isn't his fault and he had no way of knowing that he would be interrupting anything yet you blame him as if he did it on purpose in order to annoy us."

"I am sorry my lady I didn't mean to offend you," He said in surprise trying to soothe her. She had up until then been a shy soft spoken woman who seemed uncertain of anything but now her eyes shown with passion and indignation and he found that it only made him want her more. "But even you must find that your servants sometimes get in the way and ruin things at the most inopportune time."

"No I don't my lord. My servants are hard working men and women who do everything they can to make our lives comfortable with very little thanks for what they do," She told him her hands clenching at her sides as she continued her voice raising slightly with her feelings. "Instead they are treated like inconvenient burdens we are forced to deal with yet I doubt any lord or lady including you, yourself, my lord would be able to survive without them and what they do for us."

"My lady you are quite right forgive me for my ill spoken words," The blonde haired man replied impressed and shamed by her words. He took one of her hands in his marveling for a moment how well it fit within his as he stared into her shining eyes. "I have never heard any lord or lady speak with the passion that you do. Where does it come from?"

"Oh . . . I . . . ah . . . My parents died when I was young and I was raised primarily by the servants at my home, they are my family," Lilly told him her anger leaving her as she blushed and grew quiet and uncomfortable again. She took her hand from him and started to move away from him. "We should go the others are waiting for us, best not to upset my cousins by keeping them waiting."

Draco wanted to stop her but she was already walking quickly back the way she had come before he could. Reluctantly he followed her wanting nothing more than to stay in that garden and learn more about her, hear her speak more about the things that she cared about with that fire and passion he had seen just moments ago. He couldn't let her get away now that he had met her, she was already far to important to him. As they were reaching the steps he grabbed her wrist and stopped her turning her toward him.

"Lilly I must see you again tell me that I can please," Draco pleaded with her not even caring that he was begging something that he knew was unseemly for a prince to do. But

it didn't matter now all that mattered was her and seeing her again. "Just tell me when and where and I will be there I promise."

"My lord I . . ." She began and he was surprised by her sudden distress at his words. She seemed torn for a moment about what to do and he feared that she would tell him no and that it was best for them not to see each other again. "Come to my cousins manor on Sunday toward midday I will be waiting for you there."

Draco grinned and nodded glad she wasn't turning away from him. He let her go then and they quickly rejoined the others. Both of her cousins frowned darkly when they saw her and if he didn't know any better he would have thought that Lilly's face paled in what seemed like fear at their looks. As soon as they reached them Hermione grabbed her roughly by the arm and Draco frowned though he said nothing as he watched to see what she would do.

"Where have you been cousin we told you not to leave our sides and you have been picking the lords flowers without permission too." Pansy said with a sneer from where she stood by the carriage that had been brought up for them. Lilly lowered her eyes and said nothing as the flower was taken from her and thrown to the ground where it was stepped on by the other girl maliciously. "Get in the carriage and be sure we will have a talk with our mother about this."

Without a word Lilly nodded and allowed the doorman to help her into the carriage without looking at any of the others. Once she was hidden away inside Pansy and Hermione turned to look at Draco with apologetic smiles neither one noticing that he was upset with the way they were treating their cousin. They instead wrongly believed that he was annoyed at the other girl and glad to be away from her.

"Please forgive our cousin my lord I hope she wasn't to much of a bother for you," Hermione said sweetly still smiling even as the prince frowned slightly. "She just doesn't understand the ways of our kingdom having grown up a far and all."

"She was not at all a bother to me my ladies. We had a very enjoyable stroll in the garden together," Draco told them forcing himself to smile as well even as the smiles left the two women's face's at his words. "In fact I would very much like to see your cousin again."

"Oh well my lord she will only be here for a short time I'm afraid," Pansy said quickly glancing back at the carriage where the girl sat with a glare before turning back to him with a small smile and a sly look in her eyes. "And I believe its my duty to inform you that she is to be engaged to Lord Riddle soon."

"Yes Lord Riddle is quite taken with our dear cousin," Hermione agreed delighting in the shocked expression that appeared on the blonde man's face at their words. "Now I am afraid we really must be going. It was a pleasure to see you your highness as well as our fellow lords and ladies and we very much look forward to seeing you all at Prince Draco's birthday celebration."

The two women curtsied after thanking Cedric for allowing them to stay and then with the help of the doorman climbed into the carriage as well. Draco watched them leave in silence all the while thinking about how his angel was to be given to that cruel lord, a man he despised. That man would break her he knew that he would and he couldn't let that happen. Couldn't allow her passion and beauty to be destroyed by the cruelty of such a man.

He would find a way to stop it from happening. Surely his father would be able to stop any engagement from happening between the two. Yes he would tell his father and stop it and then he would take Lilly for himself. He could imagine no one else by his side other than that woman and yet even as he thought that two different images flashed through his mind. One an infant with eyes so like the girls and the other a frightened boy with no name.

A/N: My goodness this was a long chapter! Ten and a half pages I think that is the longest chapter I have ever written though I can't be sure. Anyway I hoped you enjoyed it and are eager to see what happens next. Please no comments about how winter Lilly's don't look like that or that there are no such things cause I'm not sure that they actually exist do they? Either way they were flowers that I wanted for the story so if you didn't like them or whatever than I'm sorry. Any way read and review and please let me know if you have any questions or concerns or suggestions I would be happy to hear them. Oh yes and Harry is a bearer but nobody knows that since he was never tested though Riddle suspects that he is.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: me no own

Voldyismoldy: Thank you all for your reviews alerts and favorites they are all greatly appreciated and I am glad so many people like this story so far. Some have wondered if Draco will figure out that the three he likes are all the same person the answer is yes eventually but it will take some time. To Crimsonwolfdemon I appreciate that you hate certain characters in this story but please don't kill them yet I need them for now but you can have them when I am done with them ok. Vegas chick I hope I didn't make you wait to long for this chapter and please enjoy.

Warning: not to much to warn about some beatings and whippings but nothing graphic.

Chapter 4. Oh The Tangled Webs We Weave.

Harry trembled as he sat inside the carriage with his stepsisters who were both thankfully ignoring him. He knew he was in for another beating when they got home and could only imagine how angry Bellatrix would be when she discovered what he had done. How he had unintentionally taken the princes attention away from her daughters and upset them. Fortunately they didn't know about how he had spoken to the prince before or how the man had almost kissed him, they would have been even angrier if they did.

That was where his thoughts were now, despite his fear of the coming beating, on what had happened with him and Prince Draco. How could he have ever spoken to the crown prince that way and not only that but he was going to let him kiss him! He was nothing but a servant in a pretty dress and had no right to say what he did to him and with such anger. If the prince had known the truth about him he would have had him punished as well for his insolence and audacity and he was only grateful that he didn't and no one else had been there to hear him.

Harry had been so shocked when they had arrived at the manor and been introduced to the prince to find that he was the same blonde boy he had met only days ago. He had felt nervous and uncertain, fearful that the boy would recognize him through his disguise, and wanting nothing more than to get away from them to collect his thoughts. But he had to sit there and listen to his stepsisters explain a life he had never lived in a place he had never been to like he knew it all already until at last he was able to make his escape.

He slipped off into the garden simply wanting a moment alone and not knowing that the prince was following him. He was surprised when he had taken his hand after he had hurt himself and told him he was beautiful. He had never had anyone tell him he was beautiful before or make him feel like he was worth something but the prince had. It had been intoxicating and for a few minutes he had forgotten who he truly was and let himself believe that he was this person the prince liked until the servant had come and brought it all back.

He wasn't Lilly, the girl Draco was entranced by, and he wasn't beautiful or worth anything. He was only Harry, a servant of no account, who was ugly and stupid and the prince would have hated him if he knew the truth. He hadn't thought he was beautiful at all but only someone else who didn't exist and never had. He had wanted to get away after that, having been overwhelmed by it all, but Draco had grabbed him and insisted that he needed to see him again and he couldn't say no to him.

He had looked so desperate and hopeful that Harry had agreed before he could even think about it or stop himself. Fortunately he had enough presence of mind to tell him to come on Sunday when the ladies would be out at church and the market all day but how was he to pull this off. How was he to continue to pretend to be this woman he had named after his mother and keep the prince from finding out the truth. He was a fool who hadn't wanted the dream to end but it was inevitable that it would sooner or later.

The trip back to the manor went far to quickly for Harry and far to soon they were leaving the carriage and his stepsisters were hurrying to tell their mother what had happened. Bellatrix was as furious about what he had done as he had thought she would be and he soon found himself stripped of the dress and cowering on the floor of the kitchen bloody and bruised with new welts on his back from the whip. His stepmother didn't stop his punishment until there wasn't an inch of him that hadn't been touched and stained with blood and his naked body was trembling despite the fact that he had lost consciousness.

It was only then that she stopped and she and her daughters left the kitchen leaving him to Lavender to tend. The girl picked him up in her arms heedless of the blood staining her arms and clothes. He was so small and light that even she could carry him without difficulty and she brought him to her bed where she laid him down. She then quickly got a bowl of water and some clothes and carefully washed him wincing every time he hissed or flinched in pain despite being unconscious.

As she cared for him he eventually returned to consciousness only to stare miserably up at the ceiling tears in his eyes and streaming down his face. She spoke to him soothingly as she wrapped up his many wounds and questioned him gently about what had happened to cause this beating. It took sometime but eventually Harry broke down and told her everything even the things his stepsisters and mother weren't aware of. She held him as he cried into her chest his despair and confusion and his love for someone who would never know and could never know.

"Oh Harry how do you get yourself into these things?" She asked when he finished with a small smile. He smiled sadly in response and she sighed softly. "Well at least you chose a day when the ladies won't be here that is something at least."

"Does it matter Lavy I can't meet him again. How am I supposed to keep pretending that I am a woman and a noble when I am neither?" Harry asked despondently wincing every time he moved from the pain in his body and in his heart. "The prince would hate me if he knew the truth and I don't even have anything to wear. I can't steal one of the girls dresses they'd know and I would be punished again."

"Now there I can help you," Lavender told him standing up and helping him to his feet with a conspiratorial look on her face. "Follow me. "

Without giving him a chance to respond she left the kitchen and having no other choice he followed her wondering what she was talking about. She lead him quietly through the manor and up into the attic without them being seen by anyone. The attic was small and dusty and cluttered with things and Harry was only glad Bellatrix had never wanted him to clean it. It would have taken days to do so and to get rid of all the old and broken furniture in it.

Lavender lead him over to one of the far corners of the attic that had nothing in it except an old wooden chest. She knelt in front of it and Harry gingerly joined her on the floor as she took out a key from her apron pocket and unlocked it. The chest creaked loudly as it was opened for the first time in what he was sure was a long time and peering inside he found what appeared to be a pile of carefully folded dresses that he had never seen before.

"Lavy who do these dresses belong to and why are they up here?" Harry asked pulling out the top one to look at it more closely. It was a beautiful pale blue dress with lace lining the collar and sleeves and felt like silk against his fingers.

"These dress's once belonged to Lady Lilly, Harry, your mother," the girl explained. He looked at her in shock not having known that anything of his mothers still existed and felt tears sting his eyes at the thought of the woman he had never known. "After Lord James died some of the servants took them and hid them up here as we didn't want Lady Bellatrix and her daughters to have them. They are yours Harry and you can wear one of them when the prince comes on Sunday."

"Thank you Lavy. I'll wear one of these on Sunday and tell the prince Lilly is leaving the next day that way he will never have to find out the truth about me," He replied putting the dress back and hugging the girl as he tried to hold back the tears of despair that wanted to fill his eyes at the thought of never seeing Draco again. "It'll be for the best that way. He can't ever know who I really am."

He said it more to himself than her and so didn't notice the look of regret and sadness on the young woman's face. If only fate hadn't been so cruel to him than Harry could have been friends with the prince and wouldn't have to hide from him. He should have been the lord of this manor but there was no chance of that with everyone believing Harry Potter had died as a child. But at least this way he could have a little happiness for a short while anyway.

Harry put the dress back in the chest and Lavender locked it again giving the key to him, that he put in the pocket of the clothes she had dressed him in. It would be better to leave the chest with the dresses there where it had gone unnoticed by the ladies of the house for so long. Harry wouldn't allow his mother's dresses to be taken from him, they were all he had of the woman he had never known, and he was grateful to the servants for keeping them safe for him.

XeXeXeXeXeXeXeXeXe

Draco could hardly contain his excitement at seeing Lilly again. She was all he had been able to think about since he had met her only days ago. Her long, silky black hair and beautiful emerald green eyes. The way she smiled shyly and seemed so unsure of herself yet so filled with a confidence and passion he had never seen in anyone before. He longed to touch her again and get the kiss he had been denied at their first meeting.

Ron and Cedric and Blaise and teased him relentlessly for the last few days after hearing about what had happened between the two of them in the garden. They were greatly amused by their friend who had never shown any interest in anyone before suddenly being deeply infatuated with this girl he had only spent a few hours with but were also happy for him as well. Draco, knowing it was just good natured teasing, took it in stride and eagerly made plans for their next meeting.

He could barely contain himself as he sat through breakfast with his friends and then climbed into the carriage that would take him to the home of Lilly's cousins. For a brief moment his excited thoughts were broken by ones of Pansy and Hermione but fortunately Lilly had told him they wouldn't be there and they quickly passed on. He couldn't remember a time when he had been so nervous or excited about anything and he was quite certain that he was quickly falling in love with the girl.

He had just come to this conclusion when the carriage pulled up to Potter manor stopping before the door. It didn't look all that different from the last he had been there at the age of three but it felt different to him. When he had been there as a child there had been a warmth to the place and a kind of joy radiating from it but now it seemed cold and almost oppressive in away. A chill went down his spine that he shook off as the coachman opened the carriage door and he stepped out.

Immediately the front door was opened at his approach by a young servant girl who blushed and lead him inside to the sitting room. She told him the lady would be down in just a few minutes and brought him some tea while he sat waiting for her. Draco sipped at it trying to calm his nerves and jumped to his feet when the door was opened again smiling at the sight of the young woman who was smiling shyly at him.

Lilly looked beautiful with her hair in a braid and laying against her back. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes sparkled though he could see the nervousness and something else in them that he couldn't place. She wore a pale blue dress with lace lining the collar and sleeves and blue slipper shoes decorated with different colored beads. She bit at her lower lip as she came into the room and gave him another awkward curtsey that he inclined his head to in response.

"It is good to see you again Lilly," Draco told her as he took her hand and kissed the back of it chuckling as her face flushed at the kiss. "I haven't been able to think of anything but you since the moment you left the Diggory's manor."

"I'm sure that's not true your highness you have much more important things to think about than me," Lilly replied her face darkening for a moment before she forced the smile to return to her face. "But it is good to see you again too."

"You are to call me Draco and nothing else Lilly I am not the prince when I am with you but just a man spending time with a beautiful woman," He said as lead her to a chair her cheeks coloring again as she gave a small, reluctant nod in agreement. "And I assure you it is true my friends wouldn't stop teasing me about it until the moment I left to see you again."

"Well I am flattered then you- I mean Draco that you would spend so much time thinking of me," She told him taking the remaining cup of tea for herself and sipping at it. He had to fight not to chuckle when her nose crinkled at the taste and she put her cup back down. "It is unfortunate that I must leave soon but I need to return to my home as you know."

"Yes so you said before but let's not talk about that now I would rather talk about other things," The blonde haired boy replied not wanting to think about her eventual departure back to where she had come from. He was still trying to find a way to enable her to stay with him and get her away from Riddle. "Tell me more about yourself and your life Lilly I want to know everything about you."

"There isn't much more to tell Draco really there is not much of interest about me," The girl said softly lowering her eyes away from him. Still he saw the expression of distress and sadness that appeared on her face. "And I am afraid you would be very disappointed with what you were to find about me."

"I highly doubt that Lilly you are beautiful and intelligent and it is obvious to me that you have not had an easy life," Draco told her taking her hand in his. They were not the soft, delicate hands of the women he was used to but more dry and calloused yet to him the feel of her skin against his was wonderful and he wanted never to let the hand go. "Losing your parents at such a young age must have been very hard for you, I can't imagine how I would feel if I lost mine and it is obvious to me that you have had to grow up far quicker than you should have."

"I. . . yes it was hard. I don't remember my mother at all as I was only a babe when she died but my father . . ." She trailed off for a moment her eyes growing distant and unfocused. It had been so long since Harry had thought of his father that the flood of memories that came back to him now was somewhat overwhelming and it took him a few moments to come back to himself. "He died when I was little but he was a good man. He was always willing to play with me no matter how busy he was and would read to me at night. He would take care of me when I was sick, sitting by my bed for hours at a time, and he always had a smile for me. I miss him terribly."

"I am sorry he died when you were so young," He replied squeezing her hand gently. The girl gave a small smile of gratitude and they were silent for a few minutes until he spoke again. "I lost someone when I was a little boy too. They weren't family or anything and I only met them once when they were a baby but they were special and I wish I had gotten to know them. I wonder if you ever had the chance to meet them, Harry Potter, Lord James's son?"

"I . . .," Lilly began startled. He saw her eyes widen and her face pale drastically at the boy's name and was somewhat disturbed by it wondering if he had upset her and how. "No he . . . He died soon after I was born. I . . . I never knew him. You did?"

"Yes when I was very young. I was here with my parents and the governing families for his birth," Draco explained cautiously not wanting to upset her further. When she only nodded to ask him to continue he went on with a little more confidence. "My mother let me hold him after I sat down on the couch and I stared into his eyes, a brilliant emerald green that I haven't seen since except for yours but they were a little bit different. I remember I told my mother I wanted to take him home with me so we could play together always but she convinced me to let him stay with his father," He chuckled almost bitterly at the memory. "It was the first and only time I saw him, touched him, but I have never forgotten that baby and I don't think I ever will. He was special you know?"

He waited for her response but when none came he looked up and was surprised to find her head was bowed and her shoulders were shaking. There were small sounds, almost like whimpers, coming from her as well and in alarm he jumped from his seat and knelt in front of her. He was surprised when he saw tears streaming down her face from eyes held tightly shut and brought his hand to her face to wipe them away upset by them.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you Lilly," He told her not understanding why or how he had. Still it was apparent that his talk of the boy and his death had effected her deeply perhaps because it brought back memories of her father. "Please forgive me. I won't talk about him ever again. I would never do anything to upset you like this again. If you want me to I will even forget about him I promise."

"No, don't forget about him, somebody should remember him," She replied whipping the tears from her face as she mumbled something softly that sounded strangely to him like "Even if nobody else does." before he could ask about it though she straightened her shoulders and looked at him again. "I am sorry Draco I just haven't really thought about my father for a long time and it overwhelmed me for a little bit but I am all right now I assure you."

"It's all right if you need to cry you should I just don't ever want to be the cause of it unless it is happy tears of course," the boy said with a small smile that he was happy to see the girl returned even if only half-heartedly. "I only ever want to see you happy and have no desire to cause you pain Lilly. I have never met anyone else like you and I don't ever want to be without you. I want to make you happy and protect you and I want to . . ."

His voice trailed off as he stared into her eyes not even noticing the girls look of shock or how tense she had become as he spoke. His hand rubbed gently at her cheek as he leaned his face toward hers and closed his eyes at the feel of her lips on his. The girl gasped beneath them in surprise and only hesitantly returned the kiss. She was clumsy and uncertain and Draco could tell that she had never kissed anyone before but that made it all the better for him.

He wanted to be the only one to touch this delicate creature like this. To be her first with everything, every touch and kiss, and to keep anyone else from having her. He would do everything in his power to make sure that Riddle could never experience this with her. She would be his and no one else's that had already been decided though he couldn't be certain when he had come to such a decision.

The kiss didn't last long, only a few seconds, before she pulled away from him her face flushed in embarrassment. He could tell that she had enjoyed it as well though and grinned in delight at the almost glazed look of her eyes. It didn't last long though as her face grew pale again, the embarrassment leaving it, and her eyes grew shadowed and distressed. It almost seemed like she was on the verge of tears again and his grin vanished as she stood moving away from him.

"T . . . that shouldn't have happened Draco," Lilly told him looking flustered and upset. He frowned not understanding as he got to his feet quickly. "I . . . you need to leave now I'm sorry but I can't see you anymore. I . . . I will be leaving soon."

"Lilly please I didn't mean to upset you but don't tell me I can't see you anymore. Please Lilly," Draco replied. The woman made to protest but she was stopped as he wrapped his arms around her in a gentle hug desperate to keep the woman with him. "I will leave if you really want me to and never see you again but only if you tell me that is what you really want."

Lilly was silent for a long time and he could hear her sniffling softly against him as he held her. He couldn't believe how right it felt to have her in his arms and he never wanted to let her go. He prayed that she wouldn't tell him to leave, that it wasn't what she really wanted, and barely breathed as he waited for her answer. He was relived and delighted when she eventually shook her head without speaking seemingly unable to.

He had known that she really didn't want him to leave or not to see him again she had just been frightened by the kiss. She hadn't expected it and so had panicked slightly from it. He would go slower from now on and make sure she was comfortable at all times. He had no desire to frighten her like that again or to lose her because of doing so. She was already far to precious to him, even after so short a time, and he would do anything in his power to keep her with him.

The rest of the visit passed uneventfully and Draco left later after giving her a small kiss on the cheek and with a promise that she would meet him three days hence at the river where he would have a picnic waiting. As such it was a very happy and grinning Draco that climbed back into his carriage and left the Potter manor never seeing the despairing look on the girls face or how she held back her tears while she watched him leave.

Nor was he aware that after he left the girl rushed back into the house and tore off her dress, undid her hair and covered her face with soot and dirt, becoming once again the servant boy Harry nobody knew or cared for. He didn't see the way he went about his chores like he wasn't really there or how he was beaten when the ladies returned having not found what they were looking for at the market and blaming him for it. And he didn't see how the boy, hidden beneath the girl he loved and through no fault of his own loved him too, cried that night for what had happened and the lie he had begun and now couldn't stop.

A/N: I am so so sorry for how long it took me to write this chapter. I swear I have been working on this for over a month and it just wasn't going the way I wanted it to. Plus I got sick a couple of times and have been very busy with an online class I am being forced to take by my university that decided I didn't have enough units. I think they just wanted more money from me but anyway enough with my rant.

I hope you liked this chapter, it didn't go exactly the way I wanted it to, but at least I gave you a nice kiss been Draco and the disguised Harry. The next chapter will go faster and I hope to get to the ball if possible so wait for that and I promise to try to get it out sooner if possible. And yes Draco is an idiot and despite the obvious hints still doesn't realize that Lilly is actually Harry but he will eventually one can only hope anyway.

By the way for those wondering the title for this chapter came from a poem by The Bard William Shakespeare who I love. The full line is "Oh what tangled webs we weave when first we practice to deceive" and I thought it appropriate considering how Harry is unwillingly deceiving Draco into believing he is a woman and now can't get out of his lie even though he didn't begin it in the first place.


	5. please read

**Please read important note and sneak peaks!**

All right all of my wonderful, understanding, and forgiving readers and reviewers I have come to make my apologies and offer myself to your mercy. Hopefully you are feeling merciful right now just remember if you kill me I can't finish any of my stories right? *looks around at all the murderous readers impatiently waiting for their updates and hides behind a steel wall to protect from guns and spells.*

Anyway I want to tell you all how sorry I am that my updates have been sporadic at best and almost non existent these last few months and to explain why. I especially want to apologize to the readers of my stories "A warm summers night", "Who do you turn to", and "Saving Harry" that haven't been updated since like December or something I seriously never meant to leave any of those stories for so long it was just out of my control.

So on to my pathetic explanation as to why I haven't really updated lately. There are three reasons for that: first reason I discovered I had to take another class for my university in order to get the degree I should have already had (yeah for the university system) and it was an online course that took up a lot of my time), second reason: my free time has been eaten up by bible studies (yes I am a Christian) and watching American Idol and Lost with my friends as well as other things, third reason I finally, after almost a year of searching, found a job (actually two sort of, working one day a week for my father as well) which as also taken a lot of my time but now on to the good news!

The good news is this my online course is now finished as of yesterday whoo ooh! Lost and American Idol are also over though I still have my bible studies but they don't take as much of my time and its memorial weekend and both my jobs are closed on Monday. So what does that mean for all of you? It means that I now have more time to write and will be spending a lot of this weekend and the next week working on updating all my stories first and foremost the three stories I mentioned earlier. So please hold on a little longer for updates and as a special gift and offer of peace I am giving you sneak peaks of the next chapters for all of my stories so read on and enjoy!

"A Warm Summers Night"

Trowa drove silently to the hospital his mind buzzing with all of the things Duo had told him. He hadn't forgiven the braided man by any means but he had known him too long and been through too much with him for him to completely abandon him when he needed him especially when he was finally admitting he had a serious problem he needed help with. So he had agreed to go and see him when he had called him sounding distraught and almost frantic in his need to see him and was glad he had even if he was struggling not to want to kill him with what he and, he had recently learned his friends, had done to Heero.

"Who do you turn to"

Pansy frowned as she watched the black haired boy sitting next to her Draco with that ugly baby on his lap. The child was giggling and stuffing food in his mouth while the two young men grinned at him chuckling softly. She hated seeing them like that, seeing that whore with her Draco, and wanted nothing more than to get rid of the annoying brat and its mother. It should have been her sitting next to him laughing and talking with him but somehow that slut had caught him in his spell and taken him away from her. Well she wouldn't stand for it and she smirked when she thought of the plans she had for them, plans that would get her back in her rightful place at her dear Draco's side.

"Saving Harry"

Dumbledore frowned as he paced his office ignoring the trills of Fawkes, the phoenix, and wanting nothing more than to do away with those fools who kept standing in his way. Harry should have been his by now but in unforeseen intervention by the Malfoy brat of all people as well as the twins had kept that from happening. Really he should have known better than to leave such an important task to mere children but they had been useful so far and he thought it would be easier for them to get close to the boy than himself right now. But he would have to find some way of getting him himself now that he could no longer use two little Weasleys and Granger. Some way of getting Harry away from the three men who had chosen to turn against him and their brats. Well he would just have to be a little more creative this time then perhaps use something a little less direct and a bit more tactful.

"The Darkness that hid the light"

The boy awakened to strange feeling of being warm as well as clean. He was laying on something soft as well and when he sat up slowly he found himself free of most of the usual pain that filled his body. He was surprised to find himself in a bed and dressed in some kind of soft clothing when he had fallen asleep naked and cold in his cupboard. His eyes soon landed on the blurry sight of a man sitting in a chair near the bed and most definitely asleep. Fear filled him at the sight of the man and he moved away from him on the bed unsure of what he would do when he awakened. Would he be angry to find him in the bed and hurt him as the big man had and where was the big man and the little big man and the skinny woman. Had they finally gotten rid of him as they had always threatened they would and would this man get rid of him too. He didn't want that to happen so quickly he climbed out of the bed ignoring what aches and pains were left and tore off the clothes before leaving the room in search of room where they made the food. Perhaps if he showed him how well he could cook and that he didn't need a bed or clothes or anything the man would keep him and not send him back to the ones that had hurt him.

"A Broken Dream"

Harry sat next to Draco and his Wizator listening to Ginny's Wizator read out a list of her demands including wanting full custody of their son Lucas. He went on to talk about how she deserved all of these things due to how much she had suffered as Harry's wife and with having a new baby on the way that was his child and he should there for support. Harry didn't understand why the judge had allowed Ginny to go first and only hoped they would get their turn soon and he could then go home. His stomach was twisting into knots and Draco had barely gotten him to eat anything at all before they had come to the ministry. He was exhausted as well and the betrayal of Oliver was weighing heavily on him. He had never thought that one of his friends would actually chose to hurt him by dating and sleeping with his wife. He sighed softly and rubbed his eyes with one hand surprised when he felt something grip the other with a gentle squeeze. He looked next to him and found Draco holding his hand and smiled at him in gratitude for his support. At least he could trust Draco still and know that he wouldn't betray strange really that it was his once school enemy that he now trusted almost more than anyone else.

"A Peasant's Heart"

Over the next few weeks Harry played a dangerous game of sneaking away to be with Draco while keeping his family unaware of what he was doing. Each time he snuck out to meet the other boy it was with the fear of being caught always in his mind and yet he could bring himself to stop seeing him. He had never been so happy or felt so wanted as he was when he was with Draco even if the prince didn't really know it was him at all. He had taken him for walks in the woods and taught him how to ride a horse side saddle laughing when Harry, or Lilly, had told him that he didn't know how to ride a horse. Their first kiss had lead to many others as well and the other man was constantly touching him in someway. He truly was amazed that he had kept the prince from finding out that he was actually a boy but he had and his act was almost over as he knew Draco would be leaving soon for his birthday ball that was to take place at the castle and once he left his life would go back to the way it had always been until he would be given to Lord Riddle. But it had been nice while it lasted and at least he would have some could memories now to sustain him for whatever was to come in his life next.

So there you go and I hope you enjoyed these sneak peaks and feel free to comment if you want or to read any of these stories that you haven't yet you may just like them. One warning though the sneak peaks will show up in the chapters but probably not in the same way they appear here. I am the kind of writer that goes with what is in my head at the time that I am writing so things will change in some ways and hopefully improved. So thanks, enjoy and please forgive me. *gets down on knees and begs readers with puppy dog look*. Oh and look out for updates on all my stories soon!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: me no own

Voldyismoldy: wow I really didn't mean to leave this story for so long. I really expected to have it up a few weeks ago at least but I have been having trouble writing the next chapter of "Saving Harry" which is holding up all of my other stories as I really want to get the next chapter out. So bare with me and I think you will really like this chapter. A little hint some special people will be making an appearance very soon. Now on with the chapter.

Warning: Can't tell you but nothing bad in this chapter.

Chapter 5. The Web's Tighten.

Over the next few weeks Harry played a dangerous game of lies and deception as he snuck out to meet Draco. He used any excuse he could to leave the manor when his family was home and tried his best to get back home before they did when they were out. Fortunately for him Draco liked to take him to out of the way places so he didn't have to worry about meeting up with his family while he was disguised as the cousin who's visit had lasted far to long already.

Draco liked to take him on walks in the forest and picnics by the river. He even tried to get Harry to go swimming with him but he had refused knowing he wouldn't be able to hide his male body in the water from him. He had had the most fun though when Draco taught him how to ride side saddle after he told him that Lilly didn't know how to ride. This wasn't strictly true as Harry had had a few lessons on a pony as a child but never on an actual horse or side saddle. He had blushed when Draco helped him on and held onto his waist while they rode and even more so when he kissed him.

He had never wished so much in his life that he was someone other than who he was than he did when he was with Draco. That he really was the Lady Lilly, orphaned heiress, rather than just Harry, orphaned nobody. But he knew that could never be and he would eventually have to say goodbye to Draco. To the touches and kisses and the feeling of being loved and actually wanted something he hadn't felt since his father died and never thought he would again. He dreaded losing that feeling but he knew Draco would eventually have to leave for his birthday ball and that would be the end of it but at least he could cherish it for now and would have the memories to prove to himself it had been real when it was all over.

It was a week before the ball was to take place when he and Draco rode horses again. They raced through the forest laughing and calling to each other with Draco just a little bit ahead of him. Harry was still far from being considered an expert rider and was wary about going to fast on side saddle so willingly let Draco take the lead simply enjoying being with him.

They rode until they left the forest and came out onto a cliff where they stopped and Draco hopped off his horse before helping him off his own. While he tied the horse's reins to the nearby tree. Harry walked up near the edge of the cliff to look at the surrounding lands below. It was beautiful and he could see for miles around. It almost seemed as if all of Hogwarts had been laid out before him in all its splendor and glory and there in the distance was its most prized jewel, Hogwarts castle.

He could see it there among the clouds standing tall and majestic in its ancient splendor. He could almost feel the power embedded with in the castle and felt a shiver run through his body as he stared at it unable to look away. He knew he could never belong there, it was a place to far above him for him to even try to reach just as Draco was. It was like a fish trying to fly with the birds an impossibility that would never work. He felt tears spring to his eyes that he forced himself to hold back as he felt Draco's arm slip around his waist to hold him close.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" Harry or Lilly asked softly indicating the castle that even so far away seemed to tower over them. "I wish I could see it just once."

"It is beautiful and I couldn't have asked for a better home," Draco agreed yet there was no pleasure in his voice and his eyes looked sorrowful and distant when he looked at him. "I am to return there tomorrow in order to prepare for my birthday. I should have returned sooner but I kept postponing it not wanting to leave you, now though my father has insisted I come back and I have no choice but to do so."

"It's all right Draco we both knew this would have to end sometime," Harry replied saddened by the news of his departure but relieved as well glad the game was finally ending. "At least we had this time together that we can always cherish."

"It doesn't have to end yet Lilly or ever if we don't want it to," The prince told him. He turned to look at him in surprise and confusion the view completely forgotten. "I want you to come to the ball Lilly and there before the whole kingdom I will announce you as my intended bride."

"Draco I . . . ."

"I don't care about your family or Lord Riddle, Lilly, I won't let anyone else have you. I don't trust anyone else not to hurt you and I know that man will if he gets his hands on you." The man continued interrupting him and not even noticing the look of despair and wretchedness on the disguised boy's face or the tears he was struggling to hold back. "Please say you'll come that you will consent to be my wife."

"Draco there are things about me you don't know," Harry replied desperately trying to hold back his tears and his desire to give into the other, to the love and protection he offered. "Things I have done that I know would make you hate me if you knew the truth about them and me."

"There is nothing that could ever make me hate you Lilly ever," Draco told him as he captured his lips in a sweet yet demanding kiss before wrapping his arms around him to hold him close. "All I care about is that you are with me always so please tell me you'll come to the ball, that you will marry me."

"I . . . I will try," The disguised boy said at last. It wasn't much but it seemed to be enough for Draco who grinned against his cheek. "Just promise me that no matter what happens or what you find out about me you won't ever hate me."

"I promise Lilly that no matter what I will never hate you," The prince swore before kissing him again his lips moving from the others to his neck and up to his ear. "Thank you my love."

Harry said nothing as he continued to kiss him and his heart broke at his words. Draco loved him, he was actually loved by someone, it should have been the happiest moment of his life but instead it was one of the worst. For the one who loved him didn't actually love him at all but someone who didn't really exist. Someone who wasn't him at all. An illusion that couldn't last and never should have been begun but now he was far to caught up in it to end it now. He would have to at the ball though or Draco would find out his secret and he knew that no matter what Draco had promised now he would hate him if he ever found out he was actually nothing more than a servant boy.

The two of them stayed out on that cliff for a few hours more enjoying the viewing and sharing a lunch of pheasant, honey glazed bread, and apples. Then the two rode home parting at the river for Draco to return to the Diggory's manor and Harry to his stepmothers. They shared one last kiss, Draco making him promise once again that he would come to the ball, and then the blonde man left.

As soon as he was out of sight Harry brought out a bag he had hidden earlier within the hollow of a tree and took out the ratty shirt and pants he had been wearing earlier. Quickly he changed out of the dress and shoes, took down his hair, and whipped off his makeup with water from the river. He then dirtied his arms, feet, and face with dirt and muddied his hair a little. He would add some ashes to it when he got back and hopefully his stepmother and sisters wouldn't notice anything different about him.

Slowly he lead the horse back to the stables tiring himself out so he would look like he was tired from his chores and after putting the horse in its stall hid the bag with his mothers dress in the shed beneath some boxes. He would come back for it later and without a second thought hurried into the kitchen where Lavender was cooking and smeared some ashes on his hair and face becoming once more the unwanted servant boy no one would ever notice or care for.

XeXeXeXeXeXeXeXeXeXeX

The next week passed by in a haze of activity as Harry was constantly called on by the three women to help them prepare for the prince's ball. They had received their invitations of course and Pansy and Hermione could talk of nothing else now but how they would be the ones to marry the prince. As such everything had to be perfect and anything wrong that happened was immediately Harry's fault. He received more beatings that weak than he had in a month and by the end of the weak his body was sore and littered with new scars and welts from the numerous whippings he had received.

It did however take his mind off his own dilemma of how he was to get to the ball with no transportation and nothing to wear. Though the few dresses he had of his mothers were beautiful none of them were fancy enough for a ball at the castle and even if they were he had no way to get there. Bellatrix and her daughters would be taking the carriage with the few horses they had so neither was an option for him.

Finally though the day of the ball came and the final preparations were being made. Harry helped each of the women to dress in their gowns, fixed up their hair with Lavenders help and did all of his normal chores as well. He made sure that the horses were properly groomed and due to Pansy and Hermione's insistence tied ribbons into their manes. The horses gave him looks of disbelief at the pink ribbons snorting and shaking their heads as if to get them off and Harry had to chuckle not blaming them for not wanting them.

By five a clock that night all was ready and the three women climbed into their carriage dressed in atrocious gowns of green and red and purple. Harry wasn't sure why Bellatrix would want to wear purple but he supposed it was the darkest color she could get away with at such a festive occasion even if she looked hideous in it. He watched them leave with a heavy heart knowing he wouldn't be able to get to the ball now and how much pain it would cause Draco when he didn't show.

He had known of course from the moment he had made the promise that he would never be able to get there on his own, he a boy who had nothing, and that he would end up breaking it. Perhaps though it was for the best for now Lilly could just disappear with no explanation and Draco would never have to know the truth about her. He could go on remember her as the woman he had once loved without ever knowing of the boy that hid beneath the fancy cloths and makeup. Yes it was better this way, he knew that, and yet he couldn't stop the tears that stained his face as he thought of the man and how he would never be able to see him again.

"Harry what is it what's wrong?" Lavender asked him when she saw the tears as he came back into the kitchen falling heavily onto a chair. "She didn't hurt you again did she?"

"No Lavy nothing like that," Harry replied wiping the tears away as he struggled not to give into his despair. "D . . .Draco wanted me, I mean Lilly, to come to the ball he was going to announce her as his intended bride tonight but Lilly won't be there."

"Oh Harry you know that could never be, the prince can't find out who you really are, but I do think Lilly deserves a chance to at least say goodbye," the young woman said thoughtfully. Harry looked at her in confusion as she stood and dusted off her hands on her apron a strange look in her eyes. "Harry I want you to wait here and clean yourself up a bit I will be back soon with help I hope."

Before Harry could say anything she was out the door and leaving the manor. Lavender knew she was taking a risk doing what she was about to do but she couldn't allow things to continue the way they were anymore. She had done what she could to help and protect him but he deserved more than the life Bellatrix had forced on him and she hoped that perhaps this would help him get a better life. But she also knew if she was caught she would be thrown out of the manor and more than likely left to die on the streets as no one would hire her once the lady told them of her betrayal.

These thoughts in mind she rushed through the outer edge of the forest leaving the Potter lands and eventually came to another manor that was a bustle of activity. Quickly she made her way up to the gates praying her plan would work and the lord would see her. Once at the gate she was stopped by the two guards both of whom she thankfully knew as she paused to catch her breath.

"Lavy what are you doing here?" the freckled face guard asked with his thick Irish accent. "Is something wrong with Lady Bellatrix and her daughters?"

"No they are fine and off to the ball even as we speak," The girl told them pushing the sweat dampened blonde locks away from her face as she spoke. "I must speak to the Lords Seamus please it is very important and there isn't much time."

"Lavy the Lords are just about to leave for the ball themselves I doubt they will speak to you now," The dark skinned guard told her hesitant to bother his lords. He glanced at Seamus who seemed uncertain as well. "Tell us what this is about and maybe we can help or find someone else who can."

"No Dean no one can help but the lords themselves," Lavender replied her voice growing more desperate as she thought of Harry waiting back at the manor for her his eyes red with tears. "Please try. Tell them I am here and must speak with them, tell them it has to do with their pup please."

Dean hesitated for a moment more but when Seamus shrugged he nodded and left to tell them. Seamus brought Lavender inside the courtyard where he sat her down in front of the guard house to wait for Dean's return. She prayed that what she had told him would be enough to convince the lords to speak with her that they would understand what she was trying to say but she was to afraid to say more to anyone else but them.

Dean returned within a few minutes his face grim as he walked up to them. Lavender felt her heart stop fearing that it hadn't been enough and the lords wouldn't see her. That they hadn't believed what the boy had told them and she couldn't really blame them if they hadn't.

"Lavy the lords say they will see you," the black man told her much to her surprise. She quickly got to her feet to follow him in relief. "They are intrigued by your words but they aren't happy and I pray what you have to tell them really is important"

Lavender nodded and reluctantly, with a sigh, the man lead her into the manor after nodding to his friend. He lead her down a series of hallways where servants passed them in their haste to make everything ready for the lords departures ignoring them as they hurried away. Eventually she was brought to a sitting room where Dean knocked on the door and with a last look at the girl left to return to his post his job complete.

The door was opened moments later and gathering up her courage Lavy walked inside freezing at the sight of the two lords sitting on plush chairs before the fire. They were both middle aged though still young looking and handsome. The taller of the two had black curly hair that hung to his shoulders and intense blue eyes. He was dressed in dark blues and blacks and on his cloak was the Black crest of an eagle.

The other man had light brown hair with streaks of gray and gentle looking amber eyes. He was a bit more haggard than the other but no less handsome and no less intimidating in his clothes of green and brown. This was the first time in years that she had seen either of the two men not since Bellatrix had banned them from Potter manor and she had forgotten what it was like to be in their presence.

"So Lavender is it? You have something to tell us?" The black haired man asked his eyes narrowing as he gestured for the girl to come closer to them. Lavender nodded walking hesitantly toward them. "Something that has to do with our dead pup. What is it then we must be leaving soon for the princes ball and have little time for whatever nonsense this is about."

"My lords I swear what I am about to tell you is the truth and you must believe me," The girl replied frightened yet determined to do what she had come to do. Harry needed her and them now. "Your pup isn't dead. He is in fact very much alive and he needs your help now."

"What! You expect us to believe that after all this time Harry is still alive?" The second man asked his amber eyes practically glowing with his anger. "Our pup is dead. Bellatrix told us he died of illness while we were away why have you come to us now with these painful lies."

"They are not lies my lord the only lies are those Lady Bellatrix told you all those years ago," Lavender assured them knowing how much they had loved their friends child and how devastated they had been by the boys supposed death. "Harry never died but the Lady claimed he had and all these years he has been forced to be a servant in the manor that should have been his at his dear fathers death."

Seeing their looks of indecision she quickly went on to explain all that had happened within the last few years. The two men listened to her first with doubts and then with growing horror and despair as they slowly realized the truth of what she was telling them. Of how Harry had suffered under Bellatrix and her daughters all these years that they had believed him dead.

"Oh Merlin, Mooney our poor pup how could we have believed her when she told us he had died?" Sirius said once she finished her story. Tears sparkled in his eyes and his face was contorted with such guilt and sorrow that it broke her heart. "We should have demanded to see the body or something. We're his godfathers and we did nothing but leave him to the sadistic will of that woman."

"I know Siri but we didn't know and we were still recovering from James death to realize something was wrong with what she was telling us," Remus replied wrapping his arm around the shoulders of the other man though his own grief and guilt were as obvious as his lovers on his face. "Lavender why have you come to tell us about this now? What has happened to our pup that you would risk revealing this long kept lie?"

"Harry, in the guise of a cousin of Lady Hermione and Pansy, named Lilly, met the young Prince Draco and the man has fallen in love with him as Harry has fallen in love with the prince," Lavender explained. The two looked at her in surprise and then both exchanged a glance grinning at this development in their cubs love life. "Prince Draco asked Harry as Lilly to come to the ball where he would announce her as his bride to be but Harry has no way to get there and nothing to wear. He can't let the prince know the truth about him but he deserves to have one last night with him and a chance to say goodbye and that's why I came to ask for your help my lords."

"Well than my dear you have come to the right place," Sirius replied getting to his feet. She could almost see the his mind working on a plan to help his pup. "James, Remus and I weren't called the Marauders for nothing after all and I am sure we have something around her suitable for Harry to wear to the princes ball."

"Hm yes in fact I remember a particular dress James gave us that he didn't want Bellatrix to have it should be perfect," Remus agreed happy that he could now help his dear cub and make up for having left him alone for so long. "Romilda get that dress out of the trunk in our room and bring it here quickly girl."

There was a scuffling noise behind the door to the room and within minutes a black haired servant girl entered the room with a bundle of cloth in her arms. She brought it over to them and carefully unfolded it to reveal a beautiful dress of emerald green with crystal beads and shimmering lace as the trim. A pair of soft velvet shoes went with it and Sirius smiled as he took the dress from the girl.

"I remember how beautiful Lilly was in this dress it was one of the reasons James fell in love with her when they first met," The black haired man said wistfully. He was lost for a few moments in memories before he shook his head and looked at them eyes gleaming with the prospect of performing a great prank. "Come lets go and get our godson ready for the ball we haven't much time."

Remus nodded and the three of them left the room going to the courtyard where a carriage waited for them. They gestured for the girl to go first and followed her in after she had settled herself looking slightly nervous and unsure as she had never ridden in a carriage before. The trip back to Potter manor was ridden in silence and where it had taken her over half in hour to get there it only took them ten minutes to get back.

Lavender lead them to kitchen where she was sure Harry would be and just as she thought he was there sitting at the table with a towel around his waist and his hair dripping from his bath. He stood as she walked in and his eyes widened as he saw the two men following her. The two men stopped as well and for a moment the three of them only stared at each other not knowing what to do or say.

"S. . .Siri, M. . . .Mooney," Harry said at last tears filling his eyes as he rushed toward them to be wrapped up in their arms as they embraced him.

"Oh pup I am so sorry I ever believed that woman when she told us you were dead," Sirius told him as he held tightly to his godson. He knew now why he had Remus had been band from the manor one look at the boy and they would have known she was lying. He looked exactly like James except with Lilly's eyes. "But I am here now, we're here, and we will do whatever we can to help you."

"Yes cub you can count on us now," Remus agreed taking a turn hugging him as well. Harry couldn't hold back the tears as he embraced the two men he thought he would never see again. He remembered them of course from when he was young and his father was still alive but had never been brave enough to try to contact them. "And I hear you are in need of our help to get to the princes ball."

"I. . . I am," the boy replied still in shook at the sight of his godfathers to think clearly. The two men grinned and Sirius lead Harry to the table where he sat him down on a chair.

"Yes you are pup so you just let us take care of everything, that's what godfathers are for you know," The man told him kissing his forehead. He gestured to Lavender who moved to them with the dress and shoes in her arms. "And while we may not be fairies we still have a bit of magic to get our Cinderella to the ball to meet his prince hm."

Before Harry could respond the two men and the young woman set to work making him ready. They got him dressed in the beautiful emerald gown that had once been his mothers and then slipped the shoes on his feet to that were just a little to big much to their amusement. Lavender than did his make up and hair pulling the unruly black locks into a bun on his head.

Once they finished Sirius took something out of his pocket and draped it around Harry's neck clasping it behind him. Looking down Harry saw that it was a slender silver necklace with a beautiful blue frosted winter lily. Within the center was a sparkling diamond and the necklace was soon joined by a bracelet and two earrings both the same as the chain.

"This Harry was a set your father gave your mother before she died and he asked me to hold on to it when he married Bellatrix because he didn't want her to have it but I think they would both be happy to see you wearing it," Sirius told him beaming with pride. Harry blushed at the look it having been so long since anyone had been proud of him and clutched the flower in his hand for a moment remembering his father and wishing he could remember his mother. "Now lets go the prince awaits."

"But how are we going to get there? Bellatrix took the carriage and the horses?" Harry asked as he was lead outside by the others, Remus and Sirius laughing at his bewilderment.

"We didn't come just to help you dress cub," Remus told him as he caught sight of the carriage waiting for them in the courtyard. "We have a carriage of our own and you will come with us."

Harry thanked both of the men fighting back tears and after hugging Lavender and promising to leave no later than midnight, at least an hour before Bellatrix and her daughters would be, followed them into the carriage. Once they were settled the carriage took off and Harry watched as he left the manor and the lands around it for the first time in his life a feeling of fear, nervousness and excitement settling in his stomach.

As Harry watched the lands go by his godfathers watched him frowning and thinking about what they had learned and seen that night. Of course they had seen the scars and bruises that littered the boy's body and how thin and short he was and knew what Lavender had told them about how Bellatrix had treated him.

They were determined to see the woman pay for what she had done to their godson and to see returned to Harry what was rightfully his, the lands and title that had once been his fathers. After the ball they would go to the King and Queen and explain what Bellatrix had done and they were sure that King Lucius would immediately right the wrong the woman had committed and she would be left with nothing as she should be.

It took them nearly an hour to reach the castle and Harry could only stare in awe as the door man opened the carriage door and helped them out. He followed silently behind Remus and Sirius staring shamelessly at the grand structure of stone walls and towers with pennants flying from them and guards everywhere. There were so many people all going into the throne room were the ball was being held.

When they reached the top of the stairs leading to the room a chamberlin announced the two Lord Blacks and Harry watched them walk in hesitating for a moment. Gathering up his courage he slipped inside while everyone was looking at his godfathers and kept his eyes on the wall in front of him trying to ignore all of the people there that were so far above him his chest heaving and his stomach fluttering with butterflies.

"Breathe Harry, Just breathe,"

A/N: oh aren't I mean ending it there. I know you all hate me now but I couldn't resist. I love that line from Ever After its like my favorite in the whole movie I just added Harry's name to it. Well I hope you liked this chapter and it was worth the wait and I hope bringing in Sirius and Remus made sense. They weren't exactly the godfathers I wanted them to be but I think it works and I know they were somewhat formal in the beginning but their lords and even Sirius can be serious sometimes (no pun intended) especially when it comes to his pup. So please read and review and next chapter will be the actual ball and perhaps Draco will find out the truth behind Lilly haven't figured that out yet.


	7. Chapter 7

Hello all my wonderful and loyal readers. I really hate doing these and reading them from other writers but I felt it was necessary due to my long and continued absence from my stories. I had planed to update all of my stories back in February and have the next chapters for all of them started and nearly half way done however something's happened that I wasn't expecting and I was unable to continue writing for a while.

First my family had a crisis we were dealing with for most of February and March leaving me with no time to write and no desire to which has never happened to me before. Usually no matter what is happening I use writing as my escape and relaxer but I was so shocked and upset by what one of my siblings had done that I couldn't feel any inspiration to write anything even though I wanted to so I apologize for that.

I also I got a new job that has been having me work near forty hours a week getting a new store ready to open at the end of the month and have been to exhausted to write anything due to that as well. However I want to assure you all that I do plan to continue and finish all of them as I know how upsetting it is when you get into a good story and then its never updated again by the writer and refuse to do that to my readers.

That said though I have decided that I don't right now have the time to work on six different stories at once, a decision that I have debated on for several months now. Therefore I am giving all of my readers a chance to vote on which stories they want me to continue and finish first. All five of my current Harry Potter stories will be in this poll and it will be up until after I have finished posting all of my newest chapters which I plan to do as soon as I can. The only story that wont be on the poll is my gundam wing story as it is the only one I am currently working on and close to the end so that one I will finish regardless of the poll.

So please vote on which stories you want to see most and the two with the most votes are the ones I will concentrate on for now until I have finished them and can work on the others. Also as a treat and apology to all of you I am putting sneak peaks of the next chapters of all my stories up in this note as well as a sneak peak of another story I am thinking of writing and two other story plots I may write once I finish some of my other ones if you like them so let me know and any ideas would be greatly appreciated. So enjoy and vote please. (I will except votes in reviews to for those not members of fan fiction put please vote on the poll to if you can.

Sneak Peaks

A Warm Summers Night

A half hour later they arrived at Quatre's manor and Rashid pulled the car up to the steps leading to the front door before climbing out and opening the door for them. Heero followed Quatre and Trowa out of the car still holding his duffle bag in one hand. The blonde man lead them through to the living room where the rest of his friends were gathered around a table layered with food, including a cake, and a banner hanging from the ceiling that said "Welcome home Heero".

Deeply touched Heero could think of nothing to say as he was surrounded by his friends. He received hugs from Releana, Sally, Noin and even Dorothy and a smile of welcome from Merian, who knew how much he didn't like to be touched so kept her distance. Zechs and Wufei both patted him on the back and Lady Une nodded to him with a small smile. Heero couldn't believe they were all there for him, never in his life had he believed that he would ever have friends like this, and it was overwhelming to him.

For so long he had been alone, the cold, uncaring soldier that neither needed nor wanted friends. Relationships were liabilities that he couldn't afford during his training or the war. Dr. J had taught him not to make himself vulnerable to such things and for along time he had been able to keep his distance from others until first Duo and then the other Gundam pilots had forced themselves past his walls and created friendships with him he had before never believed possible for him. The others had followed soon after until he had come to this point and saw just how cared for he actually was.

Who Do You Turn To

Harry woke the next morning wrapped in a pair of strong warm arms and smiled as thoughts of the night before came back to him. Last night had been the most amazing experience of his life so much better than his time with Ron it didn't even compare. His body felt sore but it was a good sore and he snuggled happily into the warm chest of the one holding him a soft groan sounding at his movements.

"Morning Love," the voice was soft and husky with sleep. As the arms around him tightened Harry looked up into blurry grey eyes blinking open. "Sleep well?"

"Yes very well," The black haired boy replied smiling happily at the other who grinned back at him. "Last night was amazing love."

"Well I am glad you think so," Draco said with a chuckle turning onto his side to look down at him while he ran his hand slowly up and down his arm." I hope to spend many more amazing nights and days with you."

A Peasants Heart

"Wow mate,"

"Look at her,"

"She's beautiful,"

Draco turned as he overheard the Weasley twins who were staring at something on the stairs. His eyes followed their gaze and a grin broke out across his face as he rushed toward the stairs. There was Lily looking beautiful in an emerald green dress and her hair pulled up in a bun. She looked nervous and scared as she made her way down the stairs behind the Lords Black and he chuckled softly at the sight. She glanced up and caught sight of him and a faint blush colored her face as he held out his hand to her.

"Good evening Lady Lily I am so glad you were able to come," The prince told her as she placed her hand in his and he lead her from the stairs. "I have been waiting all night to dance with you."

Saving Harry

Still it was up to Harry to tell him and he wouldn't push him to do so. To many people had already tried to force him to bend to their will and he refused to be one of them. So despite his concern and frustration he remained quiet and tried to be the friend the smaller boy so desperately needed. Talking to him and comforting him at night and during the day and playing games with him like chess, gobstones, and exploding snap. Harry was decent at exploding snap and had little experience with gobstones, but he was willing to learn, what he excelled at though was wizarding chess.

It took a few games for his skill to come out but one afternoon a few weeks after coming to their new home Harry had beaten them terribly. The gob smacked expression on the younger boy's face as he stared at his pieces dancing in victory was enough to send Draco into chest holding laughter despite his defeat. Eventually Harry had started laughing to until they both had tears in their eyes and he told him about how he had never been able to defeat Ron the one who had originally taught him how to play. Draco frowned at the mention of the name and with some coaxing had gotten the boy to admit that he had always held back when playing with the red head not wanting to upset him.

That confession had lead to another about how he had always played dumb in school so as not to upset Hermione. He wasn't super smart or a book warm like her but if he had shown his true intelligence he would be excelling in more than just DADA. Draco had been shocked to discover just how good he was in charms, transfiguration and even potions, that had of course been a surprise to Snape as well when he had told his godfather later that evening. He was decent in COMC, astrology, and history and obviously horrible in divination, but then who wouldn't be with a nut like Trelawny teaching the class which was why Draco had refused to take the class.

The Darkness That Hid the Light

The creation of Voldemort, a psychopath that desired the death of all muggles, muggleborns and full control of the wizarding world, had brought Albus back to the front. Suddenly the wizarding world was under the attack again and they needed their protector, the defeater of the evil Grindelwald, again. Albus willingly but yet again humbly became the leader of the light side and gathered a group of idiotically loyal followers.

The Weasley's had been the easiest after a well placed attack had killed Molly's twin brothers. The woman was a fervent follower of his though her husband was less so and their children hard to control. The eldest three had already escaped his grasp and the youngest three boys, the twins and Ronald, always seemed cautiously supportive of him. The girl, Ginerva, however was as loyal to him as her mother and he had many plans for her eventually.

Another group of interest to him had been the marauders, Lily and Severus. Lily most of all as he had known the moment he saw her she was no muggleborn Evans. Her power and charm had been far to reminiscent of Riddles when he was at the school and her caring heart and healing abilities were far to much like Poppy's for it to have been a coincidence. It was obvious to him she was the child they had given up and he tried to gain control of her but she had been to untrusting of him to allow it. In the end the only ones he had been able to convince to follow him were Severus and Peter and he had been forced to kill Lily and James.

A Broken Dream

The next three days were like hell for Harry as he waited anxiously for the next trial date to find out if he and Ginny would be allowed to divorce. He wanted this all to be over with and to know that his son would be able to stay with him. He hadn't seen him since he had gotten back from the first appearance with the judge as he had taken a turn for the worse after Draco had performed another set of spells on him. Harry's body had immediately began to tremble violently as it went pale as a sheet and his eyes rolled to the back of his head blood dripping from the corner of his mouth in a full blown seizure.

Draco had called for help from his mother, who was also a qualified healer though she hadn't gone into a career with it, and both of his parents had come rushing into help him. None of them had noticed the little boy who slipped into the room behind them as they worked desperately to stop the seizure and save the man's life. It wasn't until after they had stopped the fit and got Harry into a healing sleep that they had heard the little boy sobbing and sniffling by the door. The poor child looked absolutely terrified as he stared at his father as if he thought the man was dead. Narcissa had tried to comfort the boy but he wouldn't go near them after seeing the spots of blood on their clothes and hands.

Reluctantly they had decided to send for Lucas's relatives to take him for a couple of days as they didn't know how Harry would be when he woke up. As Remus and Sirius were giving a guest lecture at the school they had sent for the twins knowing Harry wouldn't want him near Molly. Fred and George had come immediately and Fred had taken the boy into his arms while he sobbingly told them what had happened to his daddy. They happily agreed to take their nephew and promised to keep him away from Ginny and their mother until Draco said it was ok to bring him back.

Here are the story ideas I have that I may write later on if you liked them. First is a sneak peek of an untitled story in which Harry is imprisoned in Azkaban for the murder of Cedric Diggory. A plot that has been used before but one I think I have an original idea for.

The person was so layered in dirt and grime that he couldn't tell right away that they were naked beneath it all. Their hair was long and matted covering their face and most of their arms that appeared to beheld tightly around something he couldn't see.

"Hello," Lucius said softly not wanting to frighten the person further. The figure tensed at the sound of his voice and drew in tighter to itself. "Do you understand me?"

The person said nothing only started rocking back and forth the trembling increasing. Moving closer to them Lucius finally saw what was being held in their arms so protectively. It was a bundle of rags and as he knelt in front of them he heard a soft voice mumbling what sounded vaguely like endearments and promises of protection. In pity of the poor creature the man realized that they believed they were holding a baby instead of just dirty rags.

It seemed they had come to late for this one as it appeared there was nothing left of their sanity to save. Shaking his head in sympathy he moved to stand up and leave them to their insane wanderings until he heard something that stopped him clod in his tracks. A soft gurgle of glee came from the rags in response to the persons voice. In shock he brought his hand to the bundle and getting no reaction from the prisoner moved some of the cloth aside to reveal the face of a tiny infant with tuffs of black hair and green eyes.

"Oh sweet Merlin,"

The other two I have nothing written for yet so I will only give you a summary of the plots here. The first one is based off of several stories I have read where James and Lily are alive and Harry has siblings. In this story Harry's older brother William is the boy who lived and Harry is extremely abused by James and Lily due to Lily nearly dying while in labor with him the night of Voldemorts attack. James and Lily hate him for what happened that night and Harry goes to Hogwarts with little socialization or love shown to him except by his brother who is very protective of his younger brother but unaware of the abuse he has suffered from their parents which will be explained in the story. It will be Draco/Harry eventually, have good Malfoys and Severus and bad Potters and Dumbledore.

The second one I haven't come up with a full plot for yet but it will be a gundam wing/ Harry potter crossover in which Harry and Heero will be brothers that are unaware of that. Takes place after both wars and four of the pilots, Wufei, Trowa, Quatre, and Duo go to Hogwarts after discovering they are wizards while Heero disappears returning to Dr. J who survived the war. The four boys discover Harry is abused and that he has a younger brother and go in search of him and Heero unaware that they are the same person. Will have evil Dr. J and Dumbledore, good malfoys and severus and alive Remus and Sirius. Pairings will be Draco/Harry, Trowa/Quatre, Duo/Heero and Wufei/Charlie Weasley and that's all I have for now.

So I hope you enjoyed and vote and review for all of my stories including the plots at the end. If no one does than I will assume you all don't like any of them and won't continue with any of them so its very important that you vote and review please.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: me no own

Voldyismoldy: well here it is the next chapter and I am sorry for taking so long. I did try to update sooner though and this chapter is going to be good I can promise you that. This story is coming to its end but there is still a lot more to go and for you all to enjoy. So please read and review thanks.

This chapter is dedicated to Vegas Chick sorry to make you wait so long but I know hope this chapter is worth it.

Warning: Ah Cinderella clichés possibly

Chapter 6. The Ball.

Draco sighed as he watched the others dance and tried to ignore the women and simpering submissives trying to get his attention. He had no interest in any of them and was only waiting for the one he really wanted to arrive. Though he wouldn't admit it he was beginning to grow worried as two hours had passed and Lady Bellatrix and her daughters were already here. Bellatrix was currently deep into conversation with Lord Riddle and Pansy was dancing with a young lord named Theo while Hermione was dancing with surprisingly enough Blaise who didn't look to happy about it.

He had already had to dance with both of them along with several other ladies and bearers and he had only now been able to get himself away from them. He knew his father was probably frowning at him and his mother was disappointed as he hadn't told them about Lily yet. He wanted to surprise them when he introduced her to them tonight and then he would announce his intent to marry her with his parents blessing as he knew they would love her as much as he did. How could they not, she was perfect, he just needed her to arrive.

Draco knew she had only promised to try to come but he was sure she would. She had never disappointed him when she had promised him before and he prayed she wouldn't now. But what if she wasn't able to come, what if she had been forced to return to her home before the ball. He knew it was a possibility and that she had already stayed far longer than she was supposed to for him but he hoped she had been able to prolong her departure for another week so he could see her again.

"Wow mate,"

"Look at her,"

"She's beautiful,"

Draco turned as he overheard the Weasley twins who were staring at something on the stairs. His eyes followed their gaze and a grin broke out across his face as he rushed toward the stairs. There was Lily looking beautiful in an emerald green dress and her hair pulled up in a bun. She looked nervous and scared as she made her way down the stairs behind the Lords Black and he chuckled softly at the sight. She glanced up and caught sight of him and a faint blush colored her face as he held out his hand to her.

"Good evening Lady Lily I am so glad you were able to come," The prince told her as she placed her hand in his and he lead her from the stairs. "I have been waiting all night to dance with you."

"I am sorry to have kept you waiting for so long my lord there was an unexpected delay," Lily replied her voice barely audible over the music. He didn't notice her look of unease as her eyes darted around the room. "But I am here now and I have kept my promise."

"Yes and that is all that truly matters," Draco said with a smile as he pulled her toward him his free hand falling onto her waist. "Now Lily may I have this dance?"

"Of course Draco," The woman told him her blush increasing as she squeezed his hand briefly with her own. "There is no one else I would rather dance with than you."

The blonde haired man grinned his eyes sparkling with delight and spun her across the dance floor. She clung to him as they danced her movements clumsy and somewhat awkward yet he found it all the more enduring as it was just one more thing about her that made her different from the others. It was obvious she didn't have much experience with dancing but she caught on quickly enough and was soon looking as graceful as any of the other women and bearers.

They never noticed as others stopped to watch them amazed by the look of happiness and contentment on the princes face and the beauty of the woman he was holding. Anyone could tell their prince, who had never shown any interest in anyone before, was enamored with the girl he was now dancing with and questions arose of who she was and where she had come from. Only a few of Draco's friends had ever seen her before and none of them were saying anything knowing he would reveal who she was when he was ready.

"Oh Lucius look isn't that wonderful," The queen exclaimed as she watched her son dancing with the young woman from her throne. "I think our son has finally found someone to love."

"Yes it does seem so my dear and she is quite lovely," The king replied with a slight smile as he took her hand in his with a gentle squeeze that she returned with a smile of her own. "I wonder who she is though she doesn't seem familiar to me. Do you know who she is Severus, Albus?"

"I do not your majesty however there dose seem to be something familiar about her," Severus told him dark brows furrowed in thought and confusion as he watched the two of them dance. "Do you know who she is Albus?"

"No I can't say that I do my boy," The older man said his blue eyes twinkling in the way that always made them think he knew more than he was saying. "However I do believe there is more to this young woman than we know. I am most interested to see what will happen next your majesties aren't you?"

The king and queen both nodded while Severus frowned annoyed with the older man's constant vagueness as they all went back to watching the pair dance. As Draco lead the girl across the dance floor neither one took their eyes from the other. It seemed as if neither was aware of anyone else in the room anymore. One dance turned into another as another song began and no one could get the princes attention as they stared jealously at the young woman in his arms.

Several women and submissives tried to get close to the two and talk to the prince, to pull him into a dance with them but nothing worked and soon enough they gave up and found other dance partners. No one noticed the pleased grins on the faces of Sirius and Remus or the whispered conversation they were having as they watched their cub dance with the prince. He was every bit as beautiful as his mother had been when they had seen her dance with James at their wedding so many years ago.

An hour passed and then another as the two danced together neither one noticing the passing of time to lost in each other to care about anything else. Draco's hand moved from the woman's waist to slowly wrap around it and bring her even closer to his body wanting nothing more than to hold her in his arms for the rest of his life. Were it up to him he would never let her go again but keep her by his side forever. Never had he felt this way before and the only thing that came close was when he had met a tiny infant with the same eyes.

He had only been a little boy then and hadn't understood what it was he was feeling but he was an adult now and it was clear to him as it hadn't been then. It was the need to keep someone with him forever, to feel their touch and see their smiles every moment of his life. The desire not to be alone and the desire to be loved for that was what it was love. It was his soul telling him that it had found a companion for life first in a baby mere hours old and now in this beautiful young woman he held in his arms. It was something he had thought he would never feel again after that child had died so long ago leaving him forever incomplete or so he had thought until now.

"Lily, my love, these last few weeks with you have been the happiest and most fulfilling of my life," The blonde haired man told her as another song ended and he led her from the dance floor to give them both a rest. "I can't bare even the thought of having to go through the rest of my life without these feelings, without you, please say you will stay with me, that you will marry me."

"Oh Draco it has been the same for me. These last few weeks have been like a wonderful dream for me. One I have never wanted to awaken from," Lily replied her eyes sparkling to him though in truth they were actually glistening with tears she was struggling not to shed. "And were it my choice I would gladly stay with you for the rest of my life but I can't. No matter how much we fight against it the dream must end as we both knew it would before it even began."

"Why Lily? Why do you keep saying it has to end?" Draco asked as he brought his hand to her face caressing her cheek and tried to hide the pain he felt at her words in his eyes. "Because of your family? Riddle. I told you that none of that matters and I meant it. I won't allow that man to have you and neither will my father. The moment he meets you and learns of my intentions he will make sure of it. Come I will prove it to you."

"No Draco please," Lily begged but the prince ignored her as he took her arm in his hand and half lead, half dragged, her over to the other side of the room where the king and queen sat.

"Mother, father there is someone I want you to meet," The blonde haired man told them bringing the girl up to them. They both smiled at the girl who gave a small shy and uncomfortable smile back at them. "This is the Lady Lilith from Durmstrang and the niece of Lady Bellatrix. Lily this is my mother and father, King Lucius and Queen Narcissa."

"It is an honor to meet you both your Majesties," She said with a somewhat awkward courtesy. None of them seemed to notice how flustered and upset she seemed as the king took her hand in his.

"It is a pleasure my lady to make your acquaintance," Lucius replied as he pressed his lips to her hand in a brief kiss while his wife beamed happily at the girl. "and am I to assume my dear that you were the one to catch my son's attention while with Lord Cedric delaying his return here for sometime as I have heard from certain sources?"

"I suppose so your Majesty," Lily told him color rising in her cheeks as he released her hand and she took it in her own entwining her fingers together. "Though in my defense your son has kept me from returning to my own home as well my lord."

"Oh how marvelous I have been waiting for this day for such a long time," Narcissa gushed glancing lovingly at her son who's face flushed in embarrassment as she turned back to the girl. "My Draco has finally found a woman to love."

"Mother please," Draco said frowning as the woman only giggled at her sons discomfort and the king shook his head in amusement. "I wish for Lily to be my bride father, I love her, and want to marry her," Lucius grinned and Narcissa gasped excitedly as he continued. "However she has been betrothed to Lord Riddle by her family already."

"Well we can't have that, a pretty little thing like you cannot be married to such a man as him," The king replied the grin leaving his face at the thought of the other man. He turned to his two advisors as Draco gave the girl a satisfied and what he thought was reassuring look. "Severus both Lady Belletrix and Lord Riddle are here tonight are they not?"

"I believe so my lord they were both invited," The dark haired man told him from where he stood next to his throne. None of them seemed to notice how the girls face paled as they spoke or the way her hands had started to tremble slightly.

"Very well then bring them here and we will get this betrothal between you two dissolved at once so that you and our son may announce your own betrothal tonight," Lucius decided an excited gleam in his eyes as Severus nodded and moved to do as he was asked but was stopped before he could get very far by an unexpected protest.

"No don't please, its not necessary, please," Lily begged backing away from them as they all turned to look at her in surprise and confusion. Draco reached for her hand but she pulled it out of his reach before he could touch her. "I. . . I have to go. I . . . I'm sorry forgive me."

Before any of them could speak or try to stop her she turned and rushed toward the stairs. For a moment they were all to shocked to do anything and then Draco took off after her not wanting her to get away and wondering what they had done to upset her. He caught up to her only a few feet away from the stairs and grabbed her wrist stopping her before she could get away from him completely.

"Draco let me go please I have to leave, I should never have even come but I had to see you one more time," She told him trying to pull her arm out of his grasp even as he brought her closer to him. "I told you at the very beginning that this couldn't last and I meant it Draco it has to end now for both our sakes."

"Why Lily? Why must it end? Because of your family? Because of Riddle? Why?" the prince demanded gripping both of her arms with his hands so tightly it was nearly bruising and ignoring the girls look of pain feeling to much of his own to care about hers. "I told you that none of those things matter so why? Tell me I want to know Lily. I want to know why we can't be together?"

"I . . . I can't tell you Draco please just believe me when I say that we can't and that I love you. You are the only man I will ever love and this time we have spent together has meant more to me than you will ever know." Lily replied the tears she had been holding back finally breaking free from her eyes as he let her go in shock and distress and she brought her hand to his face. "But you will find someone better than me, someone more worthy of you, who can love you the way you deserve to be. Someone who is not me so you need to forget about me now Draco, forget I ever existed and you will be much happier for it," Before he could respond she brought her lips to his in a tender yet sorrowful kiss, the first time she had ever kissed him "Goodbye Draco we won't see each other again."

"What . . ." Draco said in shock from the kiss as the girl moved away from him again sorrow and regret shinning in her eyes. "No Lily . . . !"

But it was to late the girl had already gotten to the stairs and was rushing up them blinded by her tears. He tried to go after her again but couldn't catch up to her as she never slowed even when she lost her right shoe. She glanced back briefly at it but kept going reaching the top of the stairs and fleeing the throne room. Draco ran past the shoe and out of the throne room after her but by the time he got outside one of the carriages was already racing away from the castle and he knew Lily was in it and out of his reach.

He stood there watching the carriage leave, tears prickling his own eyes, until he could no longer see it in the dark and then reluctantly went back inside. Walking slowly back down the stairs he paused briefly to kneel on one of the steps and pick up the shoe the young woman had left behind. It was still warm and smelled of the girls perfume as he clutched it to his chest in one hand and wiped away his tears with the other.

Draco would get her back, he would not let this be the end of what they had. He was determined to make Lily his wife and he would do whatever he had to do to make that happen. He had already lost one love of his life, in the infant Harry, he would not lose another, not now, after all the time they had spent together. Yes he would make it happen and he would show Lily that the dream wouldn't ever have to end. Decision made his gaze was hard and determined as he walked back into the ball with the shoe in his hand and in the distance he could hear the clock tolling midnight

XeXeXeXeXeXeXeXeXeXeXeX

Harry rushed up the stairs and out of the throne room stumbling slightly as he lost one of his shoes. His mothers shoes, but he didn't dare stop to pick it up not wanting Draco to catch him again and keep him from leaving. So he left it there and continued out of the throne room and to the awaiting carriages outside. Somehow he found Sirius and Remus's carriage and the driver seeing how upset he was agreed to take him home as he knew the lords would be sometime yet in leaving.

He climbed quickly into the carriage and sat back in relief as it lurched into motion before he was even settled in. The tears came freely then and he didn't even try to stop them as he curled up on the side of the carriage and wept for what he had lost and the pain he had caused Draco. He had never wanted to hurt him and it had taken all the strength of will he had to tear himself away from him but he knew he had to. He couldn't be with Draco no matter how much he wanted to be and it would hurt him even more to know the truth about him than it did now.

Harry knew what would happen if that man had gotten Lord Riddle and Lady Bellatirx as the king had wanted. They would have known who he really was the moment they saw him and his secret would have been revealed. Draco would know that he was really nothing more than an unwanted servant boy with nothing to his name instead of a young woman of noble birth from some far off country. He could only imagine how devastated the prince would be to find out that the woman he was so very much in love with didn't actually exist at all.

He didn't even want to give thought to the beating he would receive if his deception was learned of by his stepmother and Lord Riddle. The woman would kill him he was sure for continuing to disguise himself as her niece and stealing Draco's love away from her daughters. He couldn't even begin to guess what Riddle would do for his attempt to get away from the man who had desired him for so long and was soon to take him away from his home.

No it was better this way for both of them and Harry was sure given time that Draco would forget all about him or the person he had thought he was. He would find someone better, someone would could love and be with him as he couldn't, someone worthy of being with a prince. He knew that there were hundreds of women and submissives just dying to be with the prince and it wouldn't be hard for him to find someone to take his place in time.

Yes Draco would fall in love with someone else and Lily would fade away into a distant memory in his mind. She would cease to exist for him and everyone else who had ever known of her just as Harry Potter had before her. But Harry would remember, how for one moment in time he was someone loved and cherished and wanted, that once he was good enough for a prince to love. Those memories would sustain him through the rest of his life of beatings, neglect and degradation and give him a reason to go on while in Riddles clutches.

Knowing this he knew the pain he felt now was worth it in order to assure Draco's happiness in the future. As long as he knew the prince was happy and with someone who loved him than Harry could endure anything and be happy. But right now all he could feel was the ache in his heart at knowing that he would never see the blonde boy again, never feel his arms around him holding him close, or his lips against his. Never again would he feel the embrace of a lover or his laughter as they rode through the forest together.

All of that was over now and his heart was shattered as he sobbed in despair within the carriage. In the distance as he rode further away he could hear the clock chiming midnight reminding him with each tone of the bell what he already knew. The dream had come to an end as it was always meant to for all dreams end eventually with the rising of the sun. That was why dreams were best left for the night where they could be well hidden in the dark and unknown to anyone else.

He should have known better than to try to bring one of his dreams into the light and he knew that now. All it had done was cause pain to someone who didn't deserve it as well as to himself and he wouldn't let that happen ever again. Dreams were best left to other people and now that this one had ended reality had returned, a harsh, unforgiving reality that had no concern for him or those like him.

He was unaware of the passing of time as he the carriage took him further and further away from the castle and the one he loved. He knew that no matter what, even if Draco forgot all about him and feel in love with someone else, he would always love him. There was no one else he could ever love as he loved him and he knew that one would ever love him again as Draco had. Riddle may want him for some reason unknown to him but it wasn't for love he knew that and was glad that at least for a little while he was able to know what real love felt like for once in his life.

Eventually after what felt like hours his tears began to slow and only then did he realize that the carriage was slowing down as well. It came to a stop in front of what had once been Potter manor and Harry thanked the man for taking him home as he helped him climb out of the carriage. He watched the carriage leave and then walked slowly into the manor and into the kitchens where Lavy was knitting by the fireplace and humming to herself.

She looked up as he walked into the room and seeing the tears in his eyes and the stains on his face she put her knitting down on the mantle next to her and then held open her arms to him. Harry rushed into her arms, falling to his knees in front of her, and wept while she held him, his head in her lap, and her hand running through his hair. How long they remained like that neither one would know but it didn't matter as Harry cried out his sorrow into her lap and she did her best to sooth him speaking softly to him with the only comfort he had ever known.

A/N: woo hoo I finished this chapter and I got to say I really like it. Poor Harry and Draco they suffer so. How many of you caught Harry's bad dancing in the beginning? That was my tribute to book four in which Harry tries and fails to dance at the Yule ball with one of the Patel twins, poor guy just can't dance. Anyway hope you liked it and in the next chapter Lily's true identity will be revealed to Draco and just how will the prince react to that? I will try to update soon so please read, enjoy and review.

P.S. I hope you all enjoyed the Cinderella clichés I couldn't resist the shoe and the midnight thing.


	9. Chapter 9: pool results

Hello all I hope you are all well and won't be to mad at me but even though I said I wouldn't close the poll until after I have updated all of my stories I have decided to anyway do to the fact I am having a bit of writers block with the last three. Also I am trying to update faster and don't want to keep people waiting any longer for updates on the first three so the poll is now closed and the results will be revealed in just a few moments.

First though I want to address two things really quick. The first one is an unsigned in reviewer yuki-chan314 who has been reviewing my peasants heart story. Since you aren't signed in I am addressing you this way and I hope you will read it. Thank you for your interest in my story and I am glad you like it so much but if you have been reading my story at all than you would realize that it takes me a long time to update sometimes, something I am trying to fix, so please stop freaking out about the fact that it hasn't been updated yet and has gone on hiatus or something. Unless I say it has than it isn't ok and I will update eventually you just have to be a little more patient thank you.

(oh by the way in case anyone is wondering the bond between slaves, gundam wing, story is on hiatus and has been for a while. Sorry all I should have said something a lot sooner.)

The second thing I want to address is something that really pissed me off from a few reviewers. I understand that people don't like author notes I don't like them much myself but yelling at me about them and the sneak peaks of my stories is unnecessary and annoying. I am the author and I will do what I want to do with my stories and notes and if I want to be nice and give my reviewers sneak peaks so that they know I am still working on the stories that they love than I will. Also I do sneak peaks of all my stories in all my stories because it's the same note in all of them and that is easier for me so I don't want to hear anymore complaints about that and if I get any complaints about this note then I may just decide not to post anything on this site ever again as it is just to frustrating!

All right then now that we have got that unpleasantness out of the way it is time to reveal the winners of my poll. In first place as no surprise to anyone I am sure is Who do you turn to and in second place which was extremely close, like two votes close between the poll and reviews, is A Peasants heart. So those are the two I will be working on along with a warm summers night from now on. In a very close third was Saving Harry and then in fourth was A broken dream, this surprised me a little as I was expecting this one to get at least a few more votes, and then by far in last place was The darkness that hid the light which I am trying to decide if I want to keep writing as it is or redo it or something not sure yet.

Also with the three other plots I was asking about the Azkaban story and Harry's brother story were tied for votes and the gundam wing/ Harry potter crossover came in last which didn't surprise me to much .

So those are the results and the stories I will be working on. The three other ones I will start writing again after I finish writing the first three unless I get these chapters I am working on finished in which case they may be updated at some point while I am working on the others. I hope you are all happy and will be understanding of the temporary, and I mean temporary, hiatus of those few stories. Thank you and I hope to have more updates for you all soon.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: me no own

Voldyismoldy: well here it is the next chapter and I am sorry for taking so long. But with two jobs and real life getting in the way I haven't had a lot of time to actually sit down and write. However I finally managed to get this chapter out so here it is and I hope you enjoy and I promise to keep writing and to one day finish this story no matter how long it takes. So please read, review, and enjoy.

Hope you all enjoy this is my late Christmas and new years gift to you all and especially Vegas chick, I am so sorry for making you wait so long hope this is worth it.

Warning: evil stepmother (that is all I am going to say)

Chapter 7. The Dream Ends.

Lady Bellatrix Lestrange was not a cruel woman or at least she didn't believe she was. However she wasn't beneath doing what she needed to do to get what she wanted and she regretted none of what she had done to bring her to where she was now. Having come from a family of low nobility she had done everything in her power to rise in stature and gain the attention of the young heir of the Lestrange estate in Slytherin, the highest ranking family outside of the Riddles in that part of the kingdom.

The marriage between her and Rudolphus had not been what one would consider a happy one but it was satisfactory to them and produced two daughters though no sons. It had ended in tragedy after only ten years when they, as a family, had been traveling to Ravenclaw and were attacked by bandits along the way. Rudolphus had been killed immediately and if not for the timely arrival of the then heir to Slytherin, Tom Riddle, she and her daughters would have been killed too.

He had saved their lives that day and she had become irrevocably enamored with the handsome young man. She had hoped to marry him herself but had quickly learned of his obsession with the toddler heir of Gryffindor. Wanting nothing more then to serve him she had wormed her way into James Potter's life and convinced the grieving widower his son needed a mother and siblings. She truly believed James had loved her and though she didn't love him she had mourned his death knowing he was a good man.

Bellatrix had hated James's son from the beginning, the child was far to beautiful for a boy with his dark hair and bright green eyes, easily overshadowing her own daughters with their plainer features. He was greatly beloved by all in Gryffindor and at his father's death he had inherited everything leaving only a small stipend for her and her children, the same as with Rudolphus's death as everything had gone to his younger brother, Rasbastan, leaving her with nothing.

She would not allow that to happen again however, the boy had already taken Riddle from her, but he wouldn't take the Potter fortune and title from her or her daughters. Much to her delight Riddle had told her she could treat the boy in anyway she liked and the worse she did to him the better as the man wanted him weak and controllable when he came to take him which worked perfectly with her own plans. She had quickly gone about pronouncing the boy dead of an illness and then forced him into servitude to her with little resistance from him as he was to young to really do anything about it.

The boy had been the bane of her existence ever since but soon he would be gone as Lord Riddle would becoming to collect him within the next few days. Then she could turn her attention on more important things like the disastrous night last night at the ball where both of her daughters had failed to gain the princes attention as they were supposed to have. Instead he had spent all of his time with a young woman who had seemed strangely familiar to her but Bellatrix couldn't get close enough to see who she was before she fled the palace. The girl was now the talk of the kingdom as everyone was trying to discover who she was and what interest the prince had in her.

Bellatrix would not allow some tramp to take her daughters place as the next queen however and would find out who she was and dispose of her. For now though she needed something to take her frustration out on yet the boy seemed to be hiding particularly well this morning as she hadn't seen him yet today. He just better not be having a lie in or there would be hell to pay when she found out, she did not approve of slackers or lay abouts.

"My lady forgive the intrusion but I found something I think you will want to see," Bella turned in the direction of the voice as her coach and stable man, Avery, entered the room with a bundle of cloth in his hands. "This was buried in a pile of hay out by the barn,"

Curious Bellatrix took the bundle from him and held it out to discover it was an expensive looking dress. It was emerald green in color with lace trim and beads decorating the bodice and made of some of the softest silk she had ever touched. Why had this been hidden in some hay outside of her home and why did it look so familiar to her. It was not one of her own dresses nor did it belong to either of her daughters yet she was sure she had seen it somewhere before and fairly recently too. However before she could determine where she had seen it before she was interrupted yet again by Lavender and a young man in the royal livery.

"My lady there is a messenger here from the king wishing to speak with you," The woman said with a curtesy. Bella nodded rising from her seat and both she and Avery left the room.

"Welcome sir it is always an honor to have one of the kings messengers in my home," Lady Bellatrix said with a painted on smile on her face. She put the dress down on the chair she had just recently vacated forgetting about it for the moment. "What is it that his majesty requires of me today?"

"I am here on behalf of his highness crown prince Draco," The man told her with a small bow. A slight look of surprise and pleasure crossed the woman's face as he continued. "He requests the presence of both you and the Lady Lilith at the castle today at your earliest convenience to discuss an important issue between the three of you."

"He wishes to see me and the Lady Lilith today you say," The woman repeated as if unsure of what she had heard even as her face paled. The young man nodded and she forced a smile back onto her face. "Very well then tell the prince my niece and I shall attend him at the castle just as soon as we are able."

"I shall tell the prince right away my lady and he eagerly awaits your arrival," The kings messenger replied giving another slight bow before leaving the room.

Bellatrix watched him leave with her fists clenched at her sides and then spun on her heel snatching up the dress as she stormed out of the room. Now she knew why the dress was so familiar to her, the girl from last night had been wearing it, and the girl was familiar because she was actually the boy in disguise. That brat had been going behind her back for who knew how long, masquerading as a woman with the prince. The little fool probably thought he would never get caught well she would show him what happened when someone tried to trick her.

No one dared say anything to her, not even her daughters, as she made her way into the kitchen. The boy was not there however and after threatening to have Lavender beaten and thrown out the young woman reluctantly admitted he hadn't been feeling well the night before so was still sleeping in her room. Burning with rage Bellatrix burst into the servants quarters and Lavy's room finding the boy curled up in the bed still deeply asleep.

"You ungrateful little Cretin!" She snarled grabbing the young man by his hair and hauling him out of the bed and onto the floor, ignoring his cry of pain as he was brutally awakened. "How dare you do this to me, to your sisters, after all we have done for you, you miserable wretch."

"W. . . What did I do my lady?" Harry asked tears filling his eyes as the hairs felt like they were being ripped from his skull, her nails digging into his scalp.

"Here look at this perhaps this will help you remember," Bellatrix snapped shoving the dress in front of him. The boy's face paled and his eyes widened despite his wince as her grip on his hair tightened. "You dare to make fools out of us by keeping up the deception I began and making the prince fall in love with you."

"I . . . I am sorry I. . . I never meant for it to happen," The green eyed boy replied his voice breaking as she shook him harshly and the tears broke free dampening his face. "I won't see him ever again I swear."

"Now that's where you're wrong brat we will both be seeing him today," The woman told him with a cruel smile as she dragged him out of the room. "The prince wishes to see me and my niece and it would not do to disappoint him. Besides I am sure he will be delighted to discover who his precious Lilith truly is."

Harry gave a small sob as he was pulled out of the room and down the hall past Bellatrix's daughters and Lavy who had followed the woman there. Pansy glared at him hate burning in her eyes but, for a moment so brief he believed his eyes were playing tricks on him, he thought he saw a flash of what could have been sympathy in Hermoine's before she turned away from him. Lavender was fighting back tears as he was forced outside to the stables where Avery stopped his work in surprise.

"He is to be given fifty lashes for his transgressions and then given fresher clothes but his wounds are not to be tended at all," Bellatrix instructed him. The man grinned wickedly with a nod as he took the boy from her. "Once you are finished with that prepare my carriage, we leave for Hogwarts castle as soon as I am ready."

Orders given and the boy deposited with the man she turned on her heel and stocked off without once looking back at him. Lavy remained and followed the boy into the stables by his arm. He brought him over to where a rope hung from one of the wooden beams and tied his wrists together with it above his head. Then he turned the boy around, ripped the back of his shirt from the collar to the waist, and walked away to pick up his whip crusted with dried blood from previous whippings.

Lavender watched, crying silently, as Harry was ruthlessly whipped by the older man. His back, arms, and legs became a criss-cross of bloody red lines that soaked his clothes and stained the ground beneath him. His screams echoed in the barn as his skin was ripped open scaring the horses, who whined and bucked in their stalls. The young woman could barely stand it, for he had never been given so many lashes before, but finally it ended and Avery put down the whip and released the boy from his bindings.

Unconscious from the pain Harry collapsed in a heap on the stable floor already stained by his blood. Lavender wasted no time rushing over to him and tending to his wounds, even though she wasn't supposed to. Avery said nothing though as she tried to stop the bleeding and he calmed the horses, taking two of them, and left the table to prepare the carriage. Gently she wiped off as much of the blood as she could and then stripped him of his clothes before dressing him in cleaner ones. It wasn't until she was nearly finished that he started to regain consciousness, giving a small moan of pain.

"Lavy what am I going to do," The boy asked as she helped him sit up wincing in sympathy as he groaned with pain at having to move. He looked so lost and desperate that her heart broke for him and she could do nothing but wrap her arms around his shoulders in comfort. "Draco is going to hate me now."

"Maybe but it will be ok Harry you'll see," She told him trying to reassure the young man. Harry only shook his head tears filling his eyes and staining his face as she held him. "I'm sure it will be all right no matter what happens now, you'll be ok I promise."

Harry never had the chance to respond as Bellatrix strode back outside dressed in her finest dark purple robe, a small tiara adoring her hair, and still holding the dress and now the remaining shoe Harry had hidden under Lavender's bed. With a snap of her fingers Avery walked over to them and grabbed Harry out of the woman's arms dragging him roughly over to the carriage. Bellatrix was helped into the carriage by one of the other servants and grinning Avery picked the boy up and threw him unceremoniously inside, his cry of pain ignored as he landed on the floor on some of his wounds.

He wasn't even allowed to settle himself as the carriage took off with a jerk sending him back down on the floor, gritting his teeth against another flare of pain. Carefully he got to his feet and sat carefully down on the bench nearest him, which was fortunately the opposite one that Bellatrix was sitting on. The lady was giving him a glare that he was sure if looks could kill would have sent him six feet under in seconds but fortunately or unfortunately he was still very much alive and likely to stay that way for the time being.

Maybe, he thought as he brought his knees to his chest, Draco would be merciful and have him put to death for what he had done. That way at least it wouldn't matter if the prince hated him as he would be dead and unable to feel the pain of it. He doubted it though for when had anything in his life ever been merciful to him. No in truth it seemed he was meant only to suffer under the hands of any who desired it and it was foolish for him to think it could ever be otherwise.

The journey to the castle seemed to take no time at all compared to how long it had seemed the night before and before long the carriage was coming to a stop again. The doorman helped Lady Bellatrix out of the carriage and Harry was forced to follow keeping his head down and his eyes on the ground as he walked a few steps behind her.

"My Lady please follow me," one of the castle servants instructed leading them through the halls to the throne room. Harry never once lifted his eyes as Bellatrix held onto his arm while following the man, his stomach in knots and his face pale. "The king ordered that you be brought to him as soon as you arrived, Lady Bellatrix, the prince is most eager to see you."

Lady Bellatrix smiled as the man turned to open the doors, never seeing the glare she shot the boy who shuddered and paled further, trembling slightly. He heard her being announced and then felt himself being pulled harshly by his arm as they entered the room. He didn't dare lift his head or look up as he was forced toward the front of the room where he could hear soft murmurings of voices. The murmurs trailed off as they neared and the woman stopped pushing him onto his knees as she gave a deep curtsey.

As she did Harry risked a brief glance up at the throne and immediately brought his eyes back down at the sight that met him. The king and queen sat upon their thrones their faces passive and respectful though their was slight confusion in their eyes. On their right stood the two men from the ball, the older man with the long grey beard and the dark haired man with the hook nose, both appeared uncertain of something and were speaking quietly to each other. On the left of them though was Draco who looked startled and confused and trying to hide the pain in his eyes as he glanced between them not seeing who he wanted there.

"Lady Bellatrix thank you for coming so quickly," King Lucius's voice echoed in the room making Harry shudder at the sound of it as he fought back tears. "We know that our summons was unexpected and most likely inconvenient but we needed to speak to you on a matter of great importance to our son . . ."

"Where is the Lady Lilith, Lady Bellatrix," Draco's voice rang out raw with need, desperateness and confusion, interrupting his father. Harry sniffled softly at the sound of it not even caring that his knees were starting to hurt and the marble floor was like ice against his bare feet. "You were told to bring her with you why is she not here and why have you brought this boy with you?"

"I have brought her as you requested my lord however I fear that she is not at all what you believed her to be, a deception I fear is partly my fault," the dark haired woman explained her voice simpering and overly polite. It struck Harry for the first time that she could be in trouble for this too having created the Lady Lilith to begin with and he realized she was trying to do her best from getting in trouble to though that did little to make him feel better. "The Lady Lilith never actually existed I'm afraid she was merely my servant boy dressed up like a lady in order to give my daughters an excuse to go to Lord Diggory's manor so they could see the prince as they desired. I am deeply sorry for my part in this but I had not idea my servant boy had continued to meet with the prince dressed up like a woman or that he would be at the ball last night as he was supposed to be home doing his chores."

"Are you trying to tell me that Lily was nothing more than this servant boy dressed up to look like a woman!" The prince questioned in disbelief. Harry could feel his eyes and the eyes of everyone else on him making him tremble in fear and trepidation. "Why should I believe that. I spent a great deal of time with Lily, I would have known if she was something other than what she said she was."

"It seems he was a much better actor than I believed him to be your highness for he managed to fool us all but I have brought proof with me," Bellatrix replied holding out the dress and shoe for them to see, risking a quick smirk at the boy as she spoke. "I am sure you recognize this dress and shoe from last night my prince."

Draco moved down the steps of the throne his eyes fixed on the articles of clothing being held in the woman's hands. Out of the corner of his eye Harry watched the prince as he looked at the dress and then turned to the shoe. There was a look of deep pain and hurt in his silver gray eyes as he slid his hand into his pocket and brought out the other shoe Harry had lost the night before. He looked at the two for a moment as if still not quite believing what he was seeing and then turned to the boy who lowered his eyes again.

"I recognize these Lily wore them last night when she danced with me," He said his voice barely above a whisper. He took the boys face in his hand and forced him to look at him eyes filled with pain and betrayal as green tear filled eyes looked back at him. "Is this true what she says? Are you Lily?"

"I . . . I am what she says," Harry replied his voice breaking with his tears. Draco released him as quickly as if he had been burned staring at him in shock, disbelief and anger as he backed away from him. "Wait Draco please . . ."

"Do not ever address me so informally boy, I am the crown prince of Hogwarts and you . . ." The prince snapped anger and betrayal contouring his handsome features as he glared at he black haired green eyed boy. "You are nothing more than a worthless little urchin that tried to deceive me."

Harry felt his heart break at his words and he lowered his eyes again unable to keep the tears from breaking from his eyes anymore. He had known Draco would hate him when he found out the truth and that it would hurt but he hadn't realized just how much. The only time he had never felt even a semblance of this pain was when he had found out about his fathers death ten years ago but even that was nothing compared to the pain he felt now. The pain he felt for himself and the young man he had hurt undeservedly with his unintentional lies.

"Get him out of my sight now and never let me lay eyes on him again or he will not survive the meeting," the blonde haired man snarled the shoe still clutched in his hand as he refused to look at the boy before turning on his heel and storming out of the throne room through a side door.

"You may leave now Lady Bellatrix and take this servant with you, we have no more need of either of you," The king told the woman. Bellatrix nodded and with another curtsey she grabbed the boys arm and pulled him to his feet quickly moving back toward the door. "Oh and Lady Bellatrix try something like this again regardless of the reasons for it and you will find yourself facing punishment as well as this boy."

"Yes your majesty it won't happen again I assure you," The woman replied with another hasty bow before she left the room with the boy in tow.

Harry remembered nothing of the walk back to the carriage, of how he got in it, or the ride back to potter manor. His grief was to deep for him to notice anything else as he say curled in the corner of the carriage seat, his legs pulled up to his chest and his face buried in his knees as he wept in despair. His chest hurt and his heart felt like it had been ripped apart as the tears stained his face and dampened his pants.

The dream had ended at last just as he had always told Draco that it had too and now all that remained were the shattered pieces of once happy times shared between them. All he had left was pain and despair and the tainted memories of a love that had almost been his while still being so far out of his grasp that it was like trying to take hold of a star in the sky. He had known from the beginning that it was pointless to even try to take hold it but he hadn't been able to stop himself from doing so.

At least now though it was over and his life would return to what it was always meant to be. A life of servitude and neglect, of abuse and starvation, and he would be content with that. The memories would sustain him for many years and once he heard that the prince was doing well and in love with someone else, married to someone else, he would know all the pain he felt now was worth it. But for now all he could was weep, tremble and hold himself tightly in the only comfort he could have.

Neither of the carriages occupants noticed the figure watching them from above on one of the castles balconies. Draco watched stoically as the carriage moved further and further away from the castle, his eyes cold and icy. Behind him stood Severus Snape watching the young man silently as he tried not to show his pain. That he was hurt was obvious however as he held tightly to the shoe in his hand crushing it against the balcony railing, his knuckles white with the strain of how tightly he was holding it.

Draco remained standing there for a long time until the carriage disappeared into the distance taking what remained of the person he thought he had loved with it. Once it was gone he turned away from the balcony and ignoring the dark haired man walked back into the castle not wanting to talk to him. He didn't care that Lily didn't actually exist it wasn't as if he had really loved her anyway. No he was absolutely fine, there was no pain in his heart and there was no way the dampness on his face was a tear, no way at all.

A/N: Well there it is at last the next chapter of a peasants heart. I found this one hard to write cause Draco had to be mean to Harry and poor Harry. One of his lines is from Ever after and Draco uses a variation of some which I hold no claim to. I hope you all like it and I am sorry for the wait but I now have two jobs so finding time to write is difficult at best. Any way I have started the next chapter of who do you turn to and will update that one next and then a warm summers night so look out for them and please read and review.


	11. important note

I am writing this note to tell you all that I don't know when I will be updating any of my stories again. My Nanny (my moms mom) is in the hospital and near death. They are putting her on a morphine drip on Monday and I don't know when I will be writing again. I ask you to please understand and any of you who are Christians to please pray for my family. I will try to update as soon as I can.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Cinderella or any variation of the story

Voldyismoldy: yes I am finally updating this story again. I know your all going to die of shock now. Please read the chapter first if you can though thanks : )! Anyway I got the weekend off so I finally had time to type this up and get it out so I hope you like it. This chapter is all about Draco but harry will be back in the next one promise and Riddle will be making an appearance again too in the next chapter. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers for my family too they were all appreciated very much.

Warning: idiot prince that's about it

Chapter 11.

The prince was in a foul mood and everyone in the castle knew it. He had been for days now ever since finding out the truth about his lady love and most of the servants were too afraid to go anywhere near his rooms. He refused to see anyone even his friends and ate little those few servants who dared to enter his rooms for any reason were usually thrown out in minutes though some spoke of seeing the prince gazing out forlornly from the balcony before catching sight of them and shouting at them to get out.

It didn't take long for news of his temper and self-imposed isolation to reach the king and queen and their advisors. Narcissa felt it best to let him be as he had been deeply hurt by the deception and Albus agreed, time was the only thing that could heal his heart. Lucius however was getting tired of his mood and the complaints of the servants but reluctantly agreed with his wife to give him a little more time to deal with it himself. Narcissa could be very persuasive when she wanted to be and he liked all his body parts where they were thank you.

Severus however had no such fears and had had enough of this tantrum he was throwing. The boy had a good heart but was still horribly spoiled and had been prone to such fits as a child though this was the first one he'd had in sometime. Snape knew how it felt to lose the one you loved, he had been in love with Lily Evans but she had fallen in love with James Potter, and it had been difficult for him to let her go but he had and was now happily married to Lord Black's younger brother Regulus. Even the old coot Dumbldore had overcome the betrayel of his first love, Lord Grindelwald of Durmstrang, and was now married to Minerva of Gryffindor so there was no reason Draco couldn't find another to love.

Truthfully Severus believed the prince had over reacted to the deception of the boy. Yes what he had done was wrong but he truly believed it had not been done with the intention of hurting Draco. The boys distress was genuine he knew as it was obvious to him but Draco was too stubborn and hurt to see that. He should have allowed him to explain and then judged his actions but he was to rash and hot tempered for that so now it was now up to Severus to set him straight even if he had to beat some sense into him.

So without hesitation the royal advisor entered the prince's room, sneering at the mess it was in. He found the young man out on the balcony leaning against the rail. In his hand was clutched a green shoe and for a moment he felt pity for the prince. He pushed it aside however as he strode out to the balcony and cleared his throat to get the youths attention. Draco started at the sound and turned to yell at whoever was intruding his solitude but when he saw who it was his mouth closed and he turned away again sullenly.

"What do you want Severus?" he asked without looking at the man his eyes gazing out at something only he could see. "I thought I said I didn't want to be disturbed by anyone including you."

"So you did but when have I ever cared about the wants of a sniveling brat," Snape replied. The prince turned to him in outrage, mouth open to rebuke him, but he continued on without allowing him to. "That is exactly what you are acting like you know throwing a fit like a five year-old."

"Is this what you came here for to yell at me for being hurt?" Draco inquired glaring at the older man he had known since his infancy. "To make a mockery of my pain?"

"No you have already done that," the advisor told him uncaringly. The prince frowned and brushed past him to return inside the man following him. "You know me Draco I am not one to give comfort or to cater to your foul moods. I am cold and practical and will give advice when needed but nothing more."

"Then advise me dammit," the blonde haired man snapped falling heavily into the chair at his table. "Tell me what to do to stop feeling this pain."

"And whose fault is it that you are in pain now?" Severus asked without a hint of sympathy. The prince looked up at him incredulously eyes glistening slightly. "You didn't have to send the boy away so quickly. You could have listened to his explanation and then you would still have the one you love with you."

"The one I love . . . the one I love was merely an illusion, a peasant boy dressed up in pretty clothes," the prince snarled jumping to his feet and pacing the length of his room like a wild animal in a cage. "The one I fell in love with was a beautiful young woman, shy but passionate, and fiery enough to challenge my beliefs. Someone I thought I could marry and be happy with while all the while the servant beneath her was laughing at me and the pain he would cause me."

"What did you fall in love with then the outside image of a pretty face and clothes or the inside personality of a person regardless of outside gender," the older man asked stopping Draco in his tracks as he looked at him again unable to give an answer. "Do you truly believe this person was lying to you for such selfish reasons as to see you in pain? A deception, that was begun not by his desire, but admittedly by Lady Bellatrix for her daughter's sakes."

"I. . . no I don't she, he, whatever was being honest with me, I could tell, and I knew to that something was upsetting him every time I saw him," Draco said talking more to himself than Snape it seemed as realization struck him. "Oh God what a fool I was, all that time she was trying to say goodbye to me, even the engagement to Riddle, was all so that I wouldn't find out and be hurt but I kept forcing her, him to meet me because I didn't want to let him go."

"All that time he was probably suffering as much as you are now and still is, having briefly what he knew he could never keep," Snape told him as the younger man's face twisted with grief and regret, wiping tears from his eyes. "So the question is now how much do you love him and what do you intend to do about it?"

"Nothing, what can I do about it," Draco replied placing the shoe on the table not even having realized he was still holding it. "Even if I could love the boy as much as the woman I once thought he was, he is a servant, a peasant and I am a prince, it could never be between us."

"Yes and I am the son of an abusive bastard and a lords disgraced daughter what the bloody hell does that have to do with anything?" Severus snapped much to the princes shock as he was not one to willingly talk about his family. "If you love him then nothing else should matter, you can make your parents understand and the kingdom except him if you fight for him."

"I can't I am the crown prince of Hogwarts and with that comes specific obligations and responsibilities," The grey eyed man told him his face grim but determined. Severus shook his head in disappointment with a small sigh.

"Then you don't deserve him," The black haired man replied touching the shoe he had left on the table. Draco frowned but said nothing as they were interrupted by a page boy coming tentatively into the room.

"Forgive me my lords but his majesty, the king, requests your presence in the audience chamber," The youth told them his voice barely more than a frightened whisper. Both men nodded and moved to follow him neither one looking at the other. "Lord Black and his husband are here, they have been requesting an audience for days but the king wouldn't grant it till now, and they said it was important you be there your highness."

""Did they say anything about what this is about?" Draco asked. The boy shook his head and he and Severus exchanged curious glances.

It was very unusual for Sirius and Remus to request an audience with them. Usually they waited to make their reports on the happenings of their land when the king made his annual rounds as there just wasn't much to report. The Blacks only had a few hundred acres of land, most of which was fields and forests and one small village so not much happened there. Whatever it was that happened must have been very important for them to remain at the castle so many days after the ball and to be requesting an audience every single one of those days.

They entered the audience chamber to find the queen and king already there along with Albus. Severus silently took his spot next to the older man, who's eyes were in full twinkle, and Draco moved to his place at his father's feet. Once they were settled the king nodded to the chamberlain who gestured to the guards to open the doors. As soon as they were two men strode into the room and the chamberlain announced the Lords black.

"Your majesty thank you for seeing us," Sirius told them as he fell to one knee in respect, Remus doing the same beside him.

"Sirius such formality is not necessary between friends and friends we are so do get up," Lucius replied gesturing for them to rise with mild annoyance. Both men quickly obeyed and Draco had to hold back a chuckle at his father's bluntness. "Now what brings you here? It must be important to make you so determined to get an audience with us that you would not leave my poor steward alone until you got it."

"Yes Lucius it is very important. A great injustice had been done to one of your leading subjects," Lord Black told him taking Remus's hand in his for reassurance as he spoke. Lucius straightened in his seat his face growing hard and cold as he listened to him. "It has been going on for at least ten years now perhaps more and has only recently been discovered by us."

"I see and what is this great injustice that has been done and to which of my subjects has it been done too?" the king asked his voice stern and unfeeling though they knew he wasn't angry or upset with them.

"Well as you know Lucius, Lily Potter died nearly sixteen years ago while giving birth to her only son and James died not six years later in a horse riding accident with their son not long after of illness. . . ." Remus began his voice quiet but heavy with emotion, wavering slightly as he spoke.

"Yes I am well aware, the loss of the Potter family hit us all very hard," the blonde haired man agreed an old grief visible in his eyes. Narcissa was dabbing at her eyes with a hankerchief and Draco had turned his face away while the two advisors stood somberly near them. "But why have you brought up such an old grief now there is nothing more that can be done for them?"

"But there is Lucius for that is the injustice I was speaking of," Sirius told him. Lucius frowned in confusion and Remus squeezed his husbands hand as he hesitated for a moment. "The Potter family isn't lost, Harry . . . Harry Potter, their son, is still alive!"

"What!" It however was not the king that made this exclamation but Draco who was barely holding himself back from running off in search of the boy even though he had no idea where he was. "how do you know this and if he is alive as you say where has he been all this time?"

"We were told about him and what had been done to him by one of the Potter manor servants, a young woman, named Lavy," Remus explained quickly as the prince leaned eagerly toward them struggling to believe the infant he had loved could still be alive. "Lady Bellatrix lied about his death as a child and forced him to become little more than a slave in the home that is rightfully his."

"Do you have evidence to back this claim up?" The king asked though the look on his face showed that he had little trouble believing the woman capable of doing such a thing.

"We have seen and spoken to him, Lucius, he looks almost exactly like James as to leave no doubt who his father is," Sirius told them a faraway look in his eyes as he thought of his friend and that friends son. "Except for his eyes that are Lilly's magnificent green."

"You have all seen him too though you did not know it," Remus continued as his husband become lost for a moment in his memories. "He came to the ball disguised as another to see you Draco."

"No! no, no, no, no, it can't be," The prince replied trying to deny what he knew to be true as he buried his face in his hands. "Oh gods what have I done."

"What do you mean what you did?" Sirius demanded a feeling of dread coming over him from the look on the other man's face. "What has happened?"

"A few days ago Bellatrix brought the boy here to reveal only a part of her deceptions it seems," Lucius explained with a heavy sigh as he looked down at his miserable looking son. "Draco was heartbroken to find the woman he loved didn't actually exist and sent him away declaring that if he ever saw him again he would have him killed."

"What! Oh God how could you my poor pup," Lord Black exclaimed in despair. He nearly collapsed in his distress but Remus caught him before he could. "Do you know what you have done you fool?"

"Yes I have hurt the only one I have ever or could ever love," Draco replied lifting his head to look at him with tear filled eyes grim with determination and self-loathing. "But I will set things right. I will go to Potter manor at once and reclaim him as my own."

"It's not that simple Draco," Remus told him his eyes downcast as he held tightly to Sirius who's face was damp with tears. "Even now it may already be too late."

"What do you mean it may already be too late?" The prince demanded wiping the tears from his eyes as he rose to his feet to loom over them.

"The girl, Lavender, told us that Bellatrix had already agreed to give Harry to Lord Riddle and that he was to come for him a few days after the ball," the amber eyed man explained. Narcissa made a sound of distress at his words and Draco's face paled as Lucius's face turned grim. "If Riddle already has him then he won't ever let you take him from him."

"The man has always been obsessed with Harry since he was an infant," Sirius agreed looking as if ten years had been added to him in only a few minutes. "He even tried numerous times to get James to betroth his son to him but James refused and never took Harry into Slytherin lands with him. Remus is right Draco if Riddle has him he won't let him go willingly for anything."

"That doesn't matter to me I will get Harry back and make amends for what I have done to him," Draco told them his fists clenched at his sides and a hard glint in his silver eyes. "I will leave at once perhaps there is still time to get to him before Riddle does. Tell no one about this I don't want Bellatrix and her daughters to know we know the truth until after I have Harry safe with me."

All those in the throne room silently agreed and Draco rushed out of the room Severus following silently behind him. The prince shouted orders as he raced down the hallways and by the time he got to the courtyard a horse was waiting for him as were his friends: Blaise, Theo and Ron, each already in the saddles of their own horses and only waiting for him to join them.

"What are you three doing here?" The prince asked in confusion. He hadn't sent for them and no one would have told them what had happened. "You don't even know what's going on."

"Doesn't matter Draco," Blaise told him grinning down at him from his horse. His dark eyes were a light with mischief and excitement. "Whatever it is it's obviously important to you from all the yelling you were doing earlier so we're here to help with whatever it is. So let's go you can fill us in on the way.'

Draco nodded in agreement glad to have the support of his friends. He climbed up onto the back of his own horse from the castle in the direction he needed to go. He was stopped before he could take off by a hand clutching the reins and looked down at Severus in confusion. The man was looking even grimmer than he usually did and his thin lips were pulled tight in concern.

"Draco don't underestimate Riddle he is capable of more than you know," the black haired man told him his voice low so the others wouldn't hear him. "I grew up in Slytherin lands and still have contacts there. There were rumors that the man orchestrated the assignation of his own parents and that he may have been involved in Lord Potters death as well. Be careful if he has Harry there is no telling what he will do to keep him. A man who won't hesitate to kill his own parents will think nothing of getting rid of you or anyone else that stands in his way too."

"I understand and I will be careful I promise," Draco replied taking the potion bottle, he slipped into his hand, and putting it in his pocket. "And I will return safely with Harry soon you have my word."

Severus nodded and let go of the horses reins standing back as he allowed them to leave. Draco snapped his horse's reins and the beast took off the other three right behind it. They raced out of the castle courtyard and through the village of Hogsmeade toward the road leading to the lands of Gryffindor and Potter manor none of them speaking.

Draco kept his eyes on the road ahead trying not to think of what he had done to the young man he had thought for so long was dead. He had brutally rejected him and he wouldn't be at all surprised if Harry wanted nothing to do with him anymore. But he hoped that the boy would want to go with Riddle even less than he would want to go with him and at least give him a chance to prove to him how wrong he had been to ever let him go.

He remembered now to his shame how Harry, disguised as Lilly, had told him there were things about her that would make him hate her if he knew of them. Of how he had promised her that nothing could ever make him hate her and at the first test of that promise he had failed horribly. He was sure that Harry must have known he would too and that was why he had refused to tell him wanting to hold onto the little love he had for as long as he could

Draco would make it up to him, somehow, he would show him just how much he truly loved him and then he would make him a new promise, one that he wouldn't break. He would promise to love him as he should have been loved all his life and to never hurt him or send him away from him again. He would cherish him as the precious thing he was and restore to him what was rightfully his and not even Lord Riddle would be able to stand in his way.

It took them a little over three hours to reach Potter manor and in that time Draco regained enough control of himself to tell his friends of what had happened. None of them interrupted as he explained all that he and Bellatrix had done and what he intended to do now. Their faces were grim and understanding when he finished and Ron looked nearly as determined as he was to save Harry as he and the Potter heir had once been friends when they were very young.

"We'll find him Draco have no fear of that," The red headed man told him his hands clenching the reins as he spurred his horse on to further speed. "And when we do we will make sure that Lord Riddle nor anyone else can ever hurt him again."

Draco nodded comforted that he had his friend's full support as the other two nodded in agreement. The Weasley's and Potter's had always been friends and had visited each other often before James's death so Ron's support hadn't surprised him at all but Blaise and Theo hadn't known Harry at all really. Even if their families had visited each other it was far too long ago and too infrequent for them to remember the boy. But that mattered little to them it seemed for all they were concerned about was helping their friend in any way they could and seeing justice done for the boy who had been treated so cruelly for so long.

They reached the manor soon after that and brought their horses to a halt outside of the front door. The stable hand rushed up to them taking their horses reins as they swung out of their saddles. Surprisingly it was not Lady Bellatrix that came to greet them but two young women, one he recognized as her daughter, Hermione, and the other was dressed in the attire of servants. They both curtsied to them and the servant girl looked as if she was trying to hold back tears as she straightened.

"Your highness we were not expecting your visit so I am afraid my mother and sister are not here to greet you as they should," Hermione told him trying to hide her surprise and uncertainty at their unexpected arrival. "Perhaps though I can entertain you until they return from town or help you in some way."

"I am not here to see your mother and in truth am glad to know she is not here nor Pansy for this will make things much easier," Draco told her not seeing her blush as he looked around for the one he most wanted to see and was disappointed to not find him anywhere. "Send for the servant boy, Harry, as it is he I want and we will disturb you no longer."

"I . . . I am sorry your highness but I cannot do that for Harry no longer works here," The bushy haired girl told him her blush fading with understanding. The girl next to her burst into tears as she spoke and the feeling of dread sickened Draco's stomach again. "Lord Riddle came for him right after he and my mother returned from the castle several days ago. By now he should be in Slytherin lands my lord I'm sorry."

"Dam we didn't make it in time," the prince growled his fist clenching at his side in frustration and self-loathing, if only he hadn't been such a fool he could have had him with him already and far away from Riddle. "Hermione I know who Harry truly is and my friends and I are going to get him back from Riddle. I ask you not to tell your mother or sister that we were here and to swear these servants here to secrecy as I do not want them or Lord Riddle to know what we are doing. Once I have Harry all will be explained."

"Of course my lord I will say nothing to either of them and neither will any of the servants here," Hermione assured them a small smile appearing on her face. The other girl looked up at them and nodded furiously in agreement a faint hope filling her eyes as she dried her tears. "I just hope you get him away from that man soon I fear what he will do to him while Harry is in his care and I would ask you to tell him I am sorry for my part in this and that I was never a very good sister to him."

Draco nodded surprised by her sudden change of heart toward the boy and taking the reins back from the stable hand got back onto his horse, the others following his lead. Quickly he turned his horse around and with a snap of his reins was off again with the others behind them. Hermione and the servant girl watched them leave and the brown haired girl blushed when Theo glanced back at her with small smile before turning away again. Within minutes they were gone leaving the two woman alone once more with the small glimmer of hope they had given them and a renewed determination in each of the boys to rescue the missing one from the other lords grasp.

A/N: I finally had time to sit down and type this up and I am so sorry it took me so long to update. But I have this weekend off so I finally had some time to sit down and write woohoo!. Anyway I hope you liked it and aren't too mad at Draco now since he knows what a fool he was. I hope Snape wasn't too out of character and some of their lines come from Ever After and are not mine. Also Harry doesn't remember being friends with Ron because he was so young and due to the abuse he suffered blocked out much of his younger years in order to coop with what was being done to him. You will find out in the next chapter too why Hermione has had a change of heart as we will go back a couple of days in the beginning to when Riddle took him. So please read and review and I will try to update again when I can.


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